Provost's Update: Friday, July 17, 2026

Office of the Provost

Friday, July 17, 2026

Good afternoon, colleagues.

UWM's New Student Orientation plays an important role in helping students make a successful transition to college. During orientation, students register for classes, meet with academic advisors, learn about campus technology and support services, receive their student ID, and begin building the knowledge and connections that contribute to a strong start at UWM.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions has met its New Student Orientation registration goals for both new first-year and transfer students. Through the first 10 orientation programs, average attendance has reached 90%, with three in-person sessions in the next few weeks. This strong participation reflects students' commitment to beginning their UWM experience well prepared and positions the university for a successful start to the fall semester.

Orientation is only the beginning of the transition process. Before classes start, all new students also participate in the Panther Transition Experience, where they attend small-group workshops, learn more about campus resources and university policies, meet other new students, and take part in UWM traditions to help them feel connected before the semester begins.

You can help the newest Panthers make this transition to UWM! Fall Welcome still needs volunteers, especially for move-in and Ask Me Tents. Faculty and staff are encouraged to volunteer to help welcome students to campus in August. Sign up here.

One of the greatest strengths of UWM is the breadth and quality of the work taking place across our campus.

UWM Planetarium Director Jean Creighton traveled to Fukuoka, Japan from June 24-26 to give a presentation at One Earth, One Sky: the International Planetarium Society's 2026 conference. In her presentation, she discussed how the planetarium has partnered with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) to develop and deliver programs for approximately 12,000 of their third-grade students since March 2024.

Asst. Teaching Prof. William Penn (Philosophy) was awarded the 2026 Oxford University Press Teaching with Technology Prize. The committee notes, “The pedagogical work of William Penn demonstrates a deep commitment to student-learning by curating an individualized learning experience, which meaningfully connects to larger class projects. That Penn has found a way to do this through the use of world-building games shows a creativity of pedagogical thinking that reminds us of the broad possibilities that exist for teaching with technology.”

The final report of the excavation project sponsored by National Geographic, State Monuments Office of Baden-Wuerttemberg, and UWM titled, “A Landscape of Ancestors,” co-directed by Bettina Arnold, Anthropology, is now published. This is the first volume in the new series focusing on the Iron Age Heuneburg hillfort in southwest Germany and the 29th volume in the Forschungen und Berichte zur Archäologie in Baden-Württemberg series. See more.

An article published in Frontiers in Education highlights the impact of UWM's STEM-Inspire Program across 15 years. Co-authored by Dr. Chia Vang, Anique Ruiz, Dr. Wilkistar Otieno, Dr. John Berges and Joan Prince, the paper "The role of holistic support for historically marginalized students in STEM: reflection from an urban research institution, 2010-2025,” showed that many participants have gone on to careers in industry, while others are conducting research on a wide range of issues that impact society. Although the program has ended, its impact on those involved and the communities they now serve endures.

Molly Lieber, who earned her MFA in Dance in 2024, has been named a Guggenheim Fellow. The prestigious fellowship awarded by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation recognizes and supports scholars and artists as they engage in research across any field of knowledge or creative discipline. While the Guggenheim Fellowship recognizes Lieber’s ongoing artistic practice with longtime collaborator Eleanor Smith, she credits her experience at UWM with helping her better articulate the ideas behind her work. The pair’s Guggenheim proposal centers on performance installations that use mirrors within natural environments such as parks and botanical gardens, exploring themes of embodiment, visibility and agency. See more.

Assoc. Prof. Christine Cheng (Computer Science) recently received a best paper award at the MATCH-UP 2026 conference, an international algorithms conference. The paper asks a deceptively simple question: How do you pair people or organizations so that everyone ends up with their own preferences? There are many applications, from organ donations to school choice management. See more.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Purush Papatla, the NMDSI Professor of Marketing in the Lubar College of Business and Co-Director of the Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute (NMDSI), on his retirement from UWM. Dr. Papatla joined UWM as an Assistant Professor of Marketing in 1988 and has served as NMDSI co-director since 2019. His last day will be August 7. See the full announcement.

Our work toward the goals outlined in the 2030 Action Plan continues across the university.

UWM’s Center for Student Experience & Talent invites all faculty and staff to the Life Design for Working Learners Conference on Aug. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center. The conference explores how the principles of Life Design can help students approach career development with curiosity, confidence, and purpose. Participants will gain practical tools to better support students as they prepare for meaningful careers beyond graduation. Lunch is provided with registration. Find a full schedule and registration link on this event webpage.
The Support for Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF) program provides limited student salary support for research collaborations between faculty/research staff and undergraduate students. The deadline to apply for support during the fall semester is August 15. Program details and a link to the online application are available on the SURF webpage. Contact Kyla Esguerra with questions.

As we move through the summer and prepare for fall, please be aware of an increased concern for targeted phishing messages tied to Canvas activity. The attacks are likely to appear as an email that can look very routine, often resembling a student reaching out with a quick question about an assignment, sometimes including a link to “review” their work or a question about their grade with an embedded link. They are effective because they seem normal: the tone is casual, the timing is believable, and the sender’s name may appear familiar. However, the link typically directs you outside of Canvas and is intended to capture your login credentials or other sensitive information. If you receive a message like this, pause before clicking. Instead of using the link, go directly to Canvas to check for the assignment or message. A moment of caution can prevent a larger issue. Thank you for helping to keep our systems and students’ data safe.
Join your fellow UWM alumni employees for our third annual UWM Panthers@Work Ice Cream Social, Wednesday, Aug. 26, from 2-3 p.m. Grab a free sweet treat, pick up UWMAA Panthers@Work swag, and learn about how to stay involved as a UWM alumni or student employee. Register online.
On Monday, August 31, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Mitchell Hall 295, the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) will host an Open House for UWM Faculty and Instructional Staff. Join us for a few refreshments and an opportunity to learn more about accommodations for disabled students in the classroom, such as alternative testing, academic flexibility plans, and digital textbooks and curriculum. Tour our Testing Center and check out the ARC Student Hub. ARC provides accommodations for students but also serves as a resource for you. We hope you stop by on Aug 31 to see all that we can offer!

During UWM's Summer 2026 Orientation programs, the UWM Planetarium offers parents of incoming freshmen the chance to relax and unwind at stargazing shows. These shows are attended by approximately 700 parents of incoming UWM students while they visit campus to get ready for their first year at college, offering them a chance to feel welcomed and experience some of the fun community activities the campus offers. See more.
Join us on Thursday, August 13, at the Summer 2026 CSI Research Frontiers in Connected Systems Seminar. This research seminar series is designed to bring together internationally recognized leaders from academia and industry to share cutting-edge research, emerging technologies, and future opportunities in connected systems. See flyer for more information.
Showcase your work in a brand-new Makers Market on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during UWM Unlocked, a Doors Open Milwaukee experience. The event is paired with Panther Family Weekend, and a great opportunity to share your work with the many alumni, students, families, and community members who are gathering and enjoying campus. Space is limited—apply today at uwm.edu/advance/makersmarket. Questions? Contact Maggie Dalton at daltonma@uwm.edu or 414-229-6672.

Thank you for the work you do every day on behalf of our students and for the contributions you make to UWM's teaching, research, and community-engaged mission.

Best,

Tina Freiburger, PhD
Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs