Provost's Update: Friday, November 7, 2025

Office of the Provost

Friday, November 7, 2025

Good morning, colleagues. Here is this week’s update from Academic Affairs.

My team in the Office of the Provost just finished several meetings with schools and colleges, as well as one of my favorite events with the Student Association, Pizza with the Provost. All these events are opportunities for me to visit with faculty, staff, and students, hear their concerns about UWM, hear feedback, and learn about priorities. These events help me understand the pain points within a school or college and, in turn, shape priorities and decisions in academic affairs to improve our policies, procedures, and processes.

I am deeply appreciative of everyone who took the time to meet with us. Each visit also reminded me of the extraordinary work happening across UWM. Our faculty and staff continue to demonstrate dedication, creativity, and excellence in advancing our missions of access, research, and community engagement. I take great pride in the fact that more than five dozen of our faculty were recently recognized among the top 2% of researchers in the world. This is a remarkable achievement that highlights the excellence and impact of our academic community. You can read more about this recognition and other accomplishments in the Appreciations section below.

During Pizza with the Provost, I learned from students about the extra financial pressure of expensive course materials and the need for study spaces for commuter students. It was a joy to hear about their passion for UWM and our campus community, and their ideas for how we can continue to serve them on their personal and academic journeys. Their excitement to participate in research, their post-graduation goals, and why they chose to be Panthers is always a reminder of our mission. I appreciate the student leaders in the Student Association for putting on the event and for their dedication to being a voice for students on campus and in shared governance.

Assoc. Prof. Derek Handley (English) has won the 2025 Outstanding Book Award from the Coalition for Community Writing for “Struggle for the City: Citizenship and Resistance in the Black Freedom Movement” (Penn State University Press, 2024). The Outstanding Book Award is presented to the most outstanding book in community writing, which includes the areas of service learning, community-based research, community literacy, ethnography and memoir, community publishing, advocacy, and activist writing.

Kyle Khembunjong, a recent graduate of the classical guitar program, has been awarded second prize in the M.E. Brune Guitar Competition at the University of Rhode Island Guitar and Mandolin Festival, one of the world’s premier classical guitar competitions. The honor highlights both his exceptional talent and the strength of UWM’s Classical Guitar Studio. Since graduating in May, Khembunjong remains active in Milwaukee and beyond, teaching at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and performing internationally.

More than five dozen UWM scientists were recognized as being among the top 2% of researchers in the world in 2024, according to a new ranking. See more information and a full listing of UWM researchers.

Prof. Brooke Slavens (Mechanical Engineering) aims to protect the hand health of manual wheelchair users with a new $3.5 million award from the National Institutes of Health. The research will examine how mechanics and strength affect the median nerve, which controls feeling in parts of the hand and fingers. See more.

Profs. Nikolai Kouklin (Computer Science) and Konstantin Sobolev (Civil & Environmental Engineering) and Yuting Spiegelhoff, doctoral student in electrical engineering, have filed for a patent through the UWM Research Foundation. The patent is for a coating that essentially turns metals into solar panels. Coated metal exposed to light can produce electricity without an external power source.

Under the direction of Adjunct Assistant Professor Amanda Wagner (Architecture), three students from UWM’s Historic Preservation Institute documented the historic Bayfield Fish Hatchery and secured fourth place in the national Charles E. Peterson Prize competition. Their work will be housed in the Library of Congress archive. This marks UWM’s second entry and second top four finish in this competition, highlighting the success of SARUP’s preservation program. See more information.

Prof. Melissa Scanlan (Freshwater Sciences) was featured in a recent NPR article examining the rapid expansion of data centers across the United States and the accompanying environmental challenges. See more information.

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 Spring 2026 semester is December 1. Complete information and a link to the online application are available on the SURF website.
UWM's strategic enrollment management (SEM) plan is a comprehensive, data-driven approach that aligns enrollment strategies with our mission, resources, and the needs of our target student populations, aiming to optimize student enrollment and success. Following the SEM Summit in June and strategy sessions throughout the summer, the SEM council leaders for retention and recruitment recently prepared detailed updates for their priorities, outlining their strategies and tactics, as well as progress to date. View SEM Updates to learn more.
Only 29% of continuing students apply for scholarships annually, and the Student Financial Services team wants to increase awareness of student scholarships. UWM offers scholarships based on many factors, including academic merit, financial need, leadership, and service. Use the Scholarships Promotion Toolkit to promote scholarships to students in their courses and around campus. The toolkit includes ready-made Canvas announcements, slide deck and more.
The Center for Student Experience and Talent will present, “Educator Workshop-Purpose by Design: Inspiring Student Exploration and Discovery,” which is part of an effort to incorporate new ways of engaging students in career exploration and purpose discernment in UWM classes and through co-curricular activities. In a dynamic, changing labor market, students can sometimes struggle to identify what they truly want for their lives and the steps they need to take. In this interactive workshop, inspired by research on purpose development and by leveraging the impact of design thinking, Dustin Liu from NYU’s Stern Center will demonstrate how educators can play a critical role in supporting students in developing a strong sense of purpose.
- November 12 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. – Interactive educator workshop on activities that can be used with students.
- November 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. – Faculty will observe and participate in a combined class session from two courses, with Dustin Liu facilitating the activities. Lunch will be provided.
- All attendees will receive a copy of “Designing Your Life.” In addition, three instructors who attend the Nov. 13 session and work the exercises into a course in Spring 2026 will receive a $250 stipend. Register and learn more.
Earlier this week, a campus message was sent about the unprecedented demand at the UWM Food Pantry. If you are able, the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee for Mental Health invites you to join them in supporting the UWM Food Center & Pantry through our November 2025 campus-wide Food & Personal Care Drive through in-kind donations. See how you can donate food or goods directly to the Food Pantry.

The UWM community is invited to a conversation with renowned humanitarian and distinguished leader David Beasley on Nov. 20, at 3 p.m. in the UWM Student Union, Wisconsin Room. In this conversation, moderated by Chia Vang, UWM Vice Chancellor for Community Empowerment and Institutional Inclusivity, Beasley will reflect on his tenure with the United Nations World Food Programme, sharing key highlights and offering insights into pressing issues facing the United States and the global community today. The discussion begins at 3 p.m., followed by a reception at 4:30 p.m. Learn more about the event, which is free and open to the public.
Employees have one more chance to attend an on-site flu clinic at the UWM Student Union. The clinic is free for UWM employees and spouses enrolled in the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program. Preregistration is required. To register for your flu vaccination appointment, log into the wellness portal and click “Register Today” on the Flu Vaccination card found in the Benefits portion of the portal. You will be required to present your medical ID card at the flu clinic. After you register for your appointment online, complete the digital consent form. Tuesday, November. 11, 8 a.m.-noon, UWM Student Union, Room 240

Visiting author and artist Faythe Levine will present a lecture entitled, “Fact, Fiction, and Storytelling in the Archive,” which explores the relationship and lives of Charlotte Russell Partridge (1882-1975) and Miriam Frink (1892-1978), two Milwaukee Downer College faculty who founded the Layton School of Art. The lecture will be held in the American Geographical Society Library on November 18 at 3:00 p.m. Frink and Partridge’s impact on Milwaukee's cultural landscape was unprecedented and remains underrecognized. Levine’s lecture will encourage future scholarship and conversations around deeper knowledge of their legacy. See more information.
In October, Peck School of the Arts hosted the Patricia Crump Vocal Competition for the first time. Among the competition’s 11 finalists were current graduate students Alexandra Smith and Emily Bergeron and alum Kaisa Herrmann (BFA 2019, Music). The competition honors Patricia Crump, founder of Supporters of Opera Singers (SOS), and celebrates young singers with strong ties to Wisconsin. According to Assistant Professor Aaron Agulay (Area Head, Voice & Opera), the organization has supported artists including alumni Kathryn Henry (BFA 2016, Music) and Lauren Decker (BFA 2012, Music), as well as new faculty member Alisa Jordheim. Agulay helped bring the competition to UWM. Alexandra Smith was awarded the Encouragement Award, earning a cash prize and ongoing support from the foundation.
The UWM Libraries invite proposals for the 2026 Morris Fromkin Memorial Research Grant and Lecture. The $6,000 grant encourages and assists UWM scholars in all fields of study to conduct research on individuals, movements, and ideas that have influenced the quest for social justice and human rights in the United States. The application deadline is Friday, January 9, 2026. All full-time faculty and academic staff are encouraged to apply, individually or as a group. More information.
The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) and the Institute of World Affairs (IWA) will host a panel conversation on migration in the Americas on Thursday, November 13, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the UWM Union Alumni Fireside Lounge. The conversation will focus on how U.S. immigration policy relates to the broader shared history of North, Central, and South America. Speakers Silvia Giorguli (Sociology and former President, El Colegio de México) and María Fernanda Bozmoski (Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, The Atlantic Council) will discuss past and present migration trends in the Americas, situating current U.S. policy debates within this larger hemispheric context. The discussion will be moderated by UWM Institute of World Affairs Director Doug Savage and is free and open to the public. Learn more.

Join UWM’s 2025 United Way Campaign! The 2025 United Way Partners in Giving Campaign is underway. The State of Wisconsin, Universities of Wisconsin, and UW Health Employees Combined Campaign (SECC) raises money for organizations across the state. With 11 umbrella organizations and almost 500 individual charities, it’s easy to find and choose the causes you care about most. The once-a-year, volunteer-driven campaign runs through December. Donations can be made online via payroll deduction or credit card. The university’s partnership with the United Way reinforces its commitment to community impact. Learn more and give online.