Hundreds of people from the Oshkosh and campus communities attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the renovated, 176-room, business hotel, which the UW Oshkosh Foundation partnered in purchasing. Now, the waterfront hotel serves as an anchor in downtown Oshkosh, helping attract visitors and grow jobs and convention business in Wisconsin’s Event City.

During Homecoming Weekend, these coaches, teachers, journalists and business and management professionals will be honored for their career and community successes. Until then, they share here how their days on campus have made an impact on their lives.

Distinguished Alumni Award—given to those who are active in their professional fields and widely recognized for their career and civic accomplishments.

Victor Alatorre ’97 and ’01 MBA, Oshkosh
Assistant director of residence life, UW Oshkosh

My education and experience at UW Oshkosh have opened doors and opportunities to serve others. The most valuable part of my employment at UW Oshkosh has been seeing the evolution and development of the generations of students I have had the opportunity to work with for more than 20 years.

Read more about Alatorre.

Timothy Greinert ’85, Cedarburg
President, Junior Achievement of Wisconsin

The quality of education I received for the financial investment was a great value, and it has allowed me to compete on an even footing while conducting business with people from all types of educational backgrounds. The availability of the faculty and their relevant work experience allowed me to feel prepared for the world of work upon graduation.

Read more about Greinert.

Jeffrey Griffith ’87, New York, N.Y.
Creative director, Men’s Health

I learned about my passion for advertising, marketing and design. I learned how much I loved to design and that I was willing to stay up late into the night to create cool new things. I learned you never know what project will lead to another even more amazing project. I met lifelong friends, had a lot of fun and learned how important it was to push myself to get to the next level.

Read more about Griffith.

Dennis Moon ’77, Wautoma
Midwest director, Bigger Faster Stronger

I had the pleasure of being coached by two Hall of Fame football coaches (Russ Young and Dave Hochtritt), and I had outstanding faculty (Alex Inciong, Ken Allen, Bob and Shirley White) pushing me to become the best I could be.

Read more about Moon.

Sandra Nadeau ’76 and ’82 MSE,
Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Executive director, St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra

UW Oshkosh gave me the foundation to build a career. It was a place that taught me how to think, how to be creative and how to problem-solve. These are important skills to have in life.

Read more about Nadeau and the other award winners.

Outstanding Young Alumni Award—given for professional and civic accomplishments and future promise.

Shane Arman ’10, Chicago
Consumer and sports marketing associate, Burson-Marsteller

At UW Oshkosh, I learned the networking, team-building and professional skills I used to get hired and be successful at my first job. I learned how to be a leader, how to be resourceful and what really, really hard work felt like. My professors taught me critical-thinking and creativity, while student advisers of organizations taught me people management and teamwork skills.

Read more about Arman.

Kathleen Briquelet ’08, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Reporter, New York Post

UW Oshkosh laid the foundation for all of my writing, reporting and professional skills. The journalism department offered all the tools I needed to grow as a reporter, and my professors, including Grace Lim, Michael Cowling, Miles Maguire, Barb Benish and Timothy Gleason, were always on hand to help and push us to work outside the classroom. But most importantly, I wouldn’t be where I am today without working grueling hours at the Advance-Titan in the basement of Reeve Union.

Read more about Briquelet.

Jeffrey Koga ’04, Neenah
Associate vice president of call-to-resolution enterprise value stream, Oshkosh Corporation

UW Oshkosh offers a first-rate education. The professors provide a current, relevant and engaging course of study, and they are devoted to the success of their students. I was mentored by more than one professor who took an active interest in my development. As a nontraditional student pursuing three majors, I simply could not have excelled without the full package that is UW Oshkosh.

Read more about Koga and the other award winners.

Oliver Schinkten ’03, Oshkosh
Cofounder of the Communities Program, Oshkosh North High School

Throughout my experience at UW Oshkosh, they instilled the importance of being a lifelong learner in their students. I have also had the opportunity to partner with the University on many wonderful projects in which they have helped to increase the quality of education that my students received.

Read more about Schinkten.

Luke Whitburn ’98, Waunakee
Certified staffing professional

While I attended UW Oshkosh, I was given the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant for the sociology department. Through this experience, I gained many of the attributes that have served as the foundation for my professional persona, including leadership, public speaking, mentoring and time management.

Read more about Whitburn.

Fellow alumni and friends are invited to celebrate with our 2013 award recipients at the Alumni Awards Dinner, beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 in Reeve Memorial Union. Reserve your spot at the event by calling (920) 424-3449 or sending an email to alumni@uwosh.edu. Tickets are $30 per person.

Alumni invited to serve as USP mentors

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh alumni have an unprecedented opportunity to serve and learn side-by-side with sophomores completing a community experience as part of the University Studies Program, our transformed general education program.

“We are delighted that UW Oshkosh alumni are interested in giving back to UW Oshkosh, to current students and to the community,” USP director Lori Carrell said. “USP alumni mentors will be role models, demonstrating civic engagement as they volunteer.”

An estimated 70 to 80 alumni will be needed to serve, starting with the fall 2014 school year, in the USP’s Quest III courses.

Many of the community experiences—ranging from collecting soil samples to interviewing farmers for an oral history project and assisting with a financial literacy workshop at the Boys and Girls Club—will take place within 30 miles of the UWO campus.

However, alumni who live further away may still be able to participate as some community experiences may occur in the evenings, on weekends or during a concentrated time frame, such as spring break.

Mentors will be matched with community experiences/Quest III courses in January, with mentor training to follow in spring 2014in time to begin serving during the 2014–2015 academic year.Questions may be directed to Michael Lueder, community experience coordinator, at luederm@uwosh.edu or (920) 424-1269.

GET INVOLVED

Interested alumni are invited to complete an online interest form found in the Alumni Mentors section at uwosh.edu/usp. The form will include expectations for each community experience.

Elizabeth Benson, last year attended ’38, Gurnee, Ill., Feb. 24, 2013

Mary (Fritz) Blackburn (EHS) ’39, Appleton, April 22, 2013

James Miracle (EHS) ’38, Culver, Ind., Dec. 11, 2012

Caryl (Pilling) Schepanski (EHS) ’33, Franksville, May 13, 2013

Florence (Gillig) Sphatt (EHS) ’38, Centennial, Colo., April 7, 2013

40s

Phyllis (Mueller) Becker (EHS) ’40, Beaver Dam, May 17, 2013

Alton Bernhardt (EHS) ’49, Black River Falls, Jan. 25, 2013

Mary (Collins) Campbell (EHS) ’40 and ’45, Bemidji, Minn., Feb. 28, 2013

Evelyn (Streckenbach-Eichinger) Jones (EHS) ’40, ’58 and (MSE) ’70, Oceanside, Calif., June 26, 2013

Phyllis (Stobbe) Klancer, last year attended ’48, New Lenox, Ill., Feb. 15, 2012

Vernon Leuthold, last year attended ’40, Oxnard, Calif., Dec. 30, 2012

Catherine (Karr) Marvin-Hoeft (EHS) ’46, Oldsmar, Fla., March 20, 2013

Irving North, last year attended ’40, Stillwater, Okla., Nov. 21, 2011

Robert Polk, last year attended ’40, Evans, Ga., May 19, 2013

Glenn Schauder, last year attended ’40, Shawano, May 20, 2012

Lois (Cook) Shields (EHS) ’43, ’70 and (MSE) ’74, Land O Lakes, May 18, 2013

Louise (Richter) Soder (EHS) ’49, Madison, March 12, 2013

Jeane (Kramer) Vanderveer (EHS) ’46 and ’48, New London, July 16, 2013

50s

Donald Dake (EHS) ’56, Kaukauna, June 7, 2012

William Haidlinger (EHS) ’58, Oshkosh, April 26, 2013

Richard Harry (EHS) ’58, Hartford, Jan. 3, 2013

Virginia McIntyre (EHS) ’58, Adell, Dec. 29, 2011

William Preston (EHS) ’51, Fond du Lac, March 1, 2013

60s

Andrew Andropolis (LS) ’61 and (EHS) ’65, Sturgeon Bay, Feb. 5, 2013

Catherine (Grimm) Bolton (LS) ’66, Cedar Grove, N.J., July 14, 2013

Joan (Kabke) Campbell (EHS) ’65, Fort Atkinson, March 13, 2013

Virginia (Payne) Crane (LS) ’68, Green Bay, April 25, 2013

Rose Marie (Lardinois) Davister (EHS) ’68, Luxemburg, March 13, 2013

Dale (Bodoh) Follensbee (EHS) ’65, Foreston, Minn., Jan. 14, 2013

Gerald Green (EHS) ’60, Apopka, Fla., April 16, 2012

Rita (Reak) Klimek (EHS) ’63, Green Bay, April 4, 2013

Richard Kollath (EHS) ’68, Appleton, March 23, 2013

Donald Krause (LS) ’67, Neenah, April 10, 2013

Roger Lautenbach (EHS) ’63 and (MA) ’71, Sturgeon Bay, April 14, 2013

Dolores Lehman (EHS) ’62, Berlin, June 17, 2013

Evelyn Loeffler (EHS) ’68, Coleman, July 7, 2013

Richard Mommaerts (EHS) ’62, Green Bay, Feb. 9, 2013

James Newton (EHS) ’68, Fall River, May 4, 2013

Elsie Radl (EHS) ’62, Oshkosh, June 5, 2013

Janice (Brandt) Saeger (EHS) ’61, Thiensville, Jan. 30, 2013

Marilyn Seis (EHS) ’63, Antigo, Feb. 26, 2013

Judith (Wessing) Towne (EHS) ’64, Greendale, Feb. 16, 2013

Edward Wulgaert (EHS) ’65, Mesa, Ariz., May 16, 2013

70s

Lorayne Andre (MA) ’74, Eau Claire, May 6, 2013

John Augustine (LS) ’77, Appleton, April 20, 2013

Robert Barabe (EHS) ’72 and (MSE) ’75, Hudson, July 24, 2013

Peter Blake (B) ’79, Merrill, July 12, 2013

Lawrence Brown (LS) ’70, Appleton, July 17, 2013

Carol (Fremgen) Carlson (N) ’74, Redondo Beach, Calif., May 17, 2013

Mary Clark (B) ’77, Fremont, Jan. 2012

Richard Double (LS) ’70, Cedarburg, April 15, 2013

Bruce Fowler (EHS) ’78, Oshkosh, Nov. 11, 2011

George Frederick (EHS) ’70, Theresa, April 29, 2013

Connie (Buelow) Kramer (LS) ’71, Lena, Jan. 28, 2013

JoAnne (Brandt) Kronberg (EHS) ’70, Clemmons, N.C., March 24, 2013

Paul Lensmeyer (B) ’74, LeClaire, Iowa, May 20, 2013

David Lodes (EHS) ’72 and (MST) ’77, Pewaukee, Feb. 25, 2013

Gerard Marshall (MST) ’74, Green Bay, March 5, 2013

Dorothy Matz (MSE) ’71, Milwaukee, July 5, 2013

Ronald McKenzie (MBA) ’76, Green Bay, March 30, 2013

Mary Mengel (N) ’77 and (MSN) ’79, Oshkosh, Feb. 25, 2013

Donald Peterson (B) ’70 and (MBA) ’77, Little Chute, July 24, 2013

Robert Pristash (LS) ’70, Duluth, Minn., May 16, 2013

Thomas Shepeck (B) ’72, Omro, July 14, 2013

Kenneth Stoffel (LS) ’74 and (MSE) ’78, Oshkosh, June 9, 2013

Bonnie Terry (LS) ’74, Franklin, June 27, 2013

Kathleen (Schuenemann) Vanden Boogard (LS) ’72, DePere, 2012

80s

Timothy Bawden (EHS) ’88, Altoona, April 24, 2013

Wendy (Johnson) DeKeyser (MSE) ’89, Green Bay, Jan. 31, 2013

Thomas Dinkel (LS) ’82, Siren, Feb. 18, 2013

Peggy Gross (MBA) ’88, Wausau, March 26, 2013

Steven Hammer (B) ’87, Green Bay, July 2, 2013

Judith (Morse) Johnson (LS) ’82, Burnett, Feb. 6, 2013

Kimberly MacAllister (EHS) ’89, Oshkosh, Feb. 9, 2013

Kevin Moore (LS) ’84, Algoma, March 15, 2013

Carol Paulson (LS) ’87, Madison, July 8, 2013

Robert Thalacker (LS) ’80, Portage, June 6, 2013

90s

Carrie (Kuehn) Maul (EHS) ’90, Broomfield, Colo., March 18, 2013

00s

Lance Beyer (EHS) ’06, Fond du Lac, March 3, 2013

10s

Theresa Schmitz (B) ’11, Oshkosh, May 16, 2013

Former Faculty and Friends

Don Burdick, assistant communication/theatre professor, 1962–1998, Aug. 23, 2013

John Check, professor, College of Education and Human Services, 1966–1986, June 5, 2013

Walter Leffin, professor, College of Education and Humans Services, 1968–1991, July 8, 2013

Jean Magnuson, classified staff, geography department, 1968–1991, July 8, 2013

Vaughn ‘Joe’ Piper, assistant mathematics professor, 1961–1991, May 26, 2013

Dwight Poppy, associate director, radio-TV-film, 1981–2003, June 16, 2013

Robert Scott, instructor, communication department, 1965–1987, April 23, 2013

31 Harriet (Krueger) Kussman (EHS), of Amherst, who turned 105 years old in May, is the oldest person residing at Iola Living Assistance.

Click here to view the embedded video.

65 Jim Bartelt (EHS), of Mayville, was inducted into the Mayville High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

71 Craig Benson (B), of Leesburg, Fla., retired from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, where he worked as a senior attorney.

72 Daniel Wundrock (EHS), of Cedarburg, traveled to the North Atlantic and the Arctic Circle to study and photograph birds.

73 Rochelle (Guhl) Sylvester (EHS), of Crivitz, was honored by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education for her distinguished service, dedication and commitment to improving physical education and sport.

76 Daniel Sommerville (EHS), of Wheaton, Ill. is an associate professor of music at Wheaton College and president of the College Orchestra Directors Association.

77 Eileen (Nosko) Lukes (N), of Mesa, Ariz., is the health services manager at the Boeing Company.

79 Michael Kuechler (B), of Fond du Lac, was elected to the board of directors for Schenck SC.

80 Scott Griesbach (B), of St. Paul, Minn., was named executive director of Student Life Services for UW-Stout.

81 Amy (Klemm) Verbos (B), of Mount Pleasant, Mich., joined Central Michigan University as an assistant professor of management in the College of Business Administration.

82 David Smetana (LS), of Racine, serves as chief of the Pleasant Prairie Police Department.

84 Diane (Vanheuklon) Abraham (LS) and ’87 (MBA), of Oshkosh, serves as the new president and chief executive officer of the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation.

85 Tina (Kempf) Bettin (N) and ’89 (MSN), of Marion, received the 2013 American Academy of Nurse Practitioners’ Nurse Practitioner State Award for Excellence.

86 Robert Raupp (LS), of Sauk Rapids, Minn., is the new district court judge for Benton County.

87 Betsy (Reinke) Rozelle (EHS), of Neenah, who works for an anti-poverty agency, is writing a book about relationship-building called Adopted into Joy.

89 Carol (Pawer) Sanders (B), of Kronenwetter, joined Sentry Insurance as executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Sophie's Squash

90 and 00 Patricia (Zietlow) Miller (MS), of Fitchburg, debuted her picture book titled Sophie’s Squash.

92 Karla Blumreich (LLCE), of Shiocton, is the new treasurer of Altrusa International Inc., of Appleton.

93 Sara (Klose) McVey (LS), of Chicago, Ill., joined Vanguard Health Systems as vice president of marketing in Chicago.

94 Chad Elmore (LS), of Jefferson, is senior editor at Diesel & Gas Turbine Publications.

95 Kevin Behnke (B), of Collins, was promoted to senior manager in the Manitowoc office of Hawkins, Ash, Baptie & Co.

96 Vickie Woelfel (N), of Menasha, a board-certified acute care nurse practitioner, joined Memorial Health Center’s staff.

97 Sara (Marcoux) Davis (LS), of Royse City, Texas, was named vice president of global business development at Theorem.

99 Scott Burton (B), of New London, who has worked for the Postal Service for 32 years, is the new Hayward postmaster.

01 Erin Kohl (MS), of Oshkosh, has been hired as the new principal at Oshkosh West High School.

02 Daniel Keown (LS), of Kansas City, Mo., who recently earned his doctorate in choral conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, has directed the Chicago Children’s Choir for several seasons.

03 Renee Barnett (LS), of New York, N.Y., earned a diploma from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.

Sly Joe

04 Joe Slyzelia (LS), of Neenah, has used his love for music to form a band called Sly Joe and the Smooth Operators, which averages 150 gigs a year and has been called one of the Fox Valley’s most in-demand bands.

05 John Spring (LS) and (EHS), of North Pole, Alaska, works as a resource geologist and also teaches internationally.

06 Ryan Hellpap (B), of Menomonee Falls, is spending 27 months with his wife, Jennifer Hellpap, in Kenya, Africa, serving in the Peace Corps.

08 Nathan Miller (LS), of Franklin, started a natural stone fabrication company called Wisco Stone in 2010.

09 Katherine Kroll (LS), of Madison, was recently promoted to real estate specialist for the Dane County Register of Deeds.

11 Heather Barkholtz (LS), of Dekalb, Ill, is pursuing a doctorate in chemistry, specializing in materials science and nanotechnology.

12 Kirk Ruetten (LLCE), of Omro, who has served in the Navy Reserves since 1988, was recently promoted to master chief equipment man.

13 Bob Warnke (LLCE), of Oshkosh, earned his bachelor’s degree from UW Oshkosh at age 70, graduating cum laude with a 3.52-grade-point average.

Colleges
AAS Associate of Arts and Science

B Business

EHS Education and Human Services

LLCE Lifelong Learning and Community Engagement

LS Letters and Science

N Nursing

Graduate degrees
DNP Doctor of Nursing Practice GMBA Global Master of Business Administration

MA Master of Arts

MBA Master of Business Administration

MPA Master of Public Administration

MS Master of Science

MSE Master of Science in Education

MSN Master of Science in Nursing

MST Master of Science in Teaching

MSW Master of Social Work

52 Clarence ‘Clare’ Landry ’53 (EHS), of Beloit, has worked with Rockford College Learning Center for more than 50 years.

59 Ron Akin (EHS) and Lee Reiherzer ’88 (LS), of Oshkosh, are the coauthors of The Breweries of Oshkosh, which chronicles the history of beer and breweries in Oshkosh starting in 1849.

60 Carolyn Neerhof (EHS) and ’65 (MST), of Oostburg, retired from the Cedar Grove Red Cross, after more than 26 years as lead coordinator.

65 Dennis Moyer (LS), of Sheboygan, has been a part of the Sheboygan Athletics baseball franchise for more than 50 years. He has been general manager since 1967.

68 James Dykstra (LS), of McLean, Va., recently participated in roundtable discussions sponsored by the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Woodrow Wilson Center on how to make Congress work more efficiently.

70 Patrick Roetzer (LS), of Benicia, Calif., was appointed Clinical Operative Dentistry director at the University of Pacific/Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco.

71 Kathryn (Mortwedt) Hanson (EHS), of Hayward, is a feature writer and columnist for the Sawyer County Record.

72 Marsha (Dorow) Lewis (N), of Williamsville, N.Y., is dean of the School of Nursing at the University at Buffalo.

74 JoAnn (Halbach) Fritschel (EHS), of West Bend, a Head Start teacher in the West Bend School District, received the Rolfs Education Teacher award.

78 John Bloor (EHS), of Green Bay, is the chief executive officer with Threshold in West Bend.

79 Sally Wilke (LS), who was ordained in early November, serves as a pastor in Michigan at Grace Lutheran in South Range and at First Lutheran in Dollar Bay.

80 Amy (Schwanebeck) Noel (N), of Onalaska, has been selected as the new vice president for Specialty Care Services for Mayo Clinic Health System Franciscan Healthcare.

81 Fr. John ‘Jack’ Harper (EHS), pastor of Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Ashwaubenon, marked the 25-year anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

82 Lori (Burns) Brooks (LS), of Walla Walla, Wash., finished her 29th year in television sports production by working for NBC Sports on their London Olympic Games coverage.

83 Melanie (Stammer) Richardson (N), of Shiocton, has been named executive director of ThedaCare At Home.

84 Kevin Casper (EHS), of Coleman, was named state coach of the year by the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association.

85 Melissa Radley-McConnell (LS), of Montverde, Fla., owns Book It Entertainment, where she and her husband provide entertainment for large corporate events around the world.

86 Lynn (Zickuhr) Kleman (LS), of Oshkosh, joined the staff of the Mercy Health Foundation as the major and planned giving manager.

87 Daniel Heimmermann (LS), of Rancho Viejo, Texas, has been named the new provost at Mississippi University for Women.

89 Debra (Korn) King (EHS), of Oshkosh, is an elementary school art teacher in the Oshkosh Area School District.

90 Anthony ‘Tony’ Novinska (LS), of Greendale, and his KISS tribute band, Dr. Love, took the stage at Milwaukee’s Summerfest.

James Lawrence ‘92 (LS), of Greenville, had his first film, Charlie’s Place, accepted in Louisville’s International Festival of Films.

91 Rodney Eissens (B), of Sheboygan, earned the Certified Family Business Specialist designation.

93 John Mason (B), of Carlsbad, Calif., is the co-owner of a business called E-Rehab, the leader in physical therapy website development and online marketing services.

94 Scott Chiavetta (LS) and ’97 (MBA), of Oshkosh, is the new vice president of Alliance Laundry System’s Customer One team in Ripon.

95 Timothy Feit (MBA), of Schofield, was named United Cranberry Growers Cooperative executive director.

96 Bradley Beisbier (B) of Cumming, Ga., is the senior vice president and commercial area executive for First Citizens.

97 Melinda (Schultz) Kamrath (MSE), of Watertown, is principal at Deerfield Elementary School.

98 Luke Whitburn (LS), of Waunakee, is vice president of operations at Drake and Company, a staffing and recruitment firm.

00 Cody Nikolai (LS) is the newest orthopaedic surgeon at Bay Area Orthopaedic Consultants in Marinette.

01 Bill Nelson (LS) is on a one-year assignment to the U.S. Consulate in Erbil, Iraq, as consular section chief.

03 Naomi (Milbradt) Minks (N), of Kennan, is providing full-time primary healthcare services to people of all ages at Memorial Health Center Clinics-Phillips.

04 Eamon McKenna (EHS), of Ashippun, was hired by UW Oshkosh as head coach of the men’s cross country and track and field programs.

05 Tammery Perry (MSN), of Rhinelander, returned to Marshfield Clinic’s medical oncology department as a nurse practitioner.

06 Clint Rowley (LS), of Stoughton, a Wisconsin state patrol trooper, was awarded the department’s Lifesaving Award after he performed the Heimlich maneuver on an employee at a Janesville Taco Bell.

07 Kathleen James (EHS), of Lomira, is the second-grade teacher for the Green Lake School District.

08 Luke Geddes (LS), of Cincinnati, Ohio, published I Am a Magical Teenage Princess, which reexamines 1960s and contemporary popular culture with wit, insight and pathos.

09 Alex Minten (LS), of Sturgeon Bay, joined Orthopedic & Spine Therapy as a physical therapist.

10 Saravanan ‘Sud’ Shanmugabaskaran (B), of Mount Pleasant, cofounded Tuna Traffic in 2010, a company that helps customers with their technology and marketing needs.

11 Jade Bolack (LS), of Elkhorn, is a reporter at the Regional News.

12 Samuel Kern (B), of Oshkosh, is a help desk analyst with Bemis.

Colleges
AAS Associate of Arts and Science

B Business

EHS Education and Human Services

LLCE Lifelong Learning and Community Engagement

LS Letters and Science

N Nursing

Graduate degrees
DNP Doctor of Nursing Practice GMBA Global Master of Business Administration

MA Master of Arts

MBA Master of Business Administration

MPA Master of Public Administration

MS Master of Science

MSE Master of Science in Education

MSN Master of Science in Nursing

MST Master of Science in Teaching

MSW Master of Social Work

Join us Oct. 11–12 for Homecoming 2013: Where Titans Dare to Dream for an animated adventure at your alma mater you’re sure to remember happily ever after.

For more information, visit uwosh.edu/homecoming

Making Oshkosh a better place through do-good initiatives runs through Stolley’s veins; she was born, raised and educated in the much-loved community she still calls home.

Now, Stolley is taking dramatic steps to grow, change and make Oshkosh a better place via Growing Oshkosh, which raises awareness and educates citizens about the “benefits of fresh, healthy, all-natural and sustainable food (and food production) by growing—and teaching others how to grow—fish, food, flowers, jobs … and hope.”

Growing Oshkosh initiatives began in August 2012, when Stolley pulled together a board of directors—many of whom have links to the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Alumni Jessica King ‘98, Bob Poeschl ’06, and Courtney (Greco) Lasky ‘03, as well as retired senior lecturer and photographer Don Stolley and Mandy Potts with integrated marketing and communications, sit on the nine-member board.

“Growing Oshkosh is really a win-win for the entire community,” Stolley said.

The project started, Stolley admits, as a dream. In many ways, Growing Oshkosh is modeled after Growing Power, an urban farm in Milwaukee, which Stolley completed a Commercial Urban Agriculture program through. Her interest was piqued, and she got busy.

“I’ve been an environmentalist all my life—before I even knew what that meant. But my passion for nature and the environment was from an ecological perspective, an almost spiritual
connection between the land and waters I call home,” Stolley said. “When it came down to deciding what it was I wanted to do with my adult life, it was a no-brainer. I simply wanted to grow food and flowers, but especially for the people and habitats that need it the most in my community.”

With that in mind, her dream transitioned to a reality and Growing Oshkosh was planted in the heart of the Oshkosh community.

“I think it’s really important that people have access to uplift themselves or become more self-sufficient,” Poeschl said. “Growing Oshkosh has the ability to grow and partner with neighborhoods and the community to create the ability for people to be more self-sufficient. There is so much to gain by having an urban garden.”

While the primary role of Growing Oshkosh is to produce sustainable and healthy food, an underlying goal is to use the physical location of the urban farm as a way to bring people together to combat issues like isolation, said Karlene Grabner ’98, executive director of the Women’s Fund of the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation.

With that goal, the Women’s Fund awarded a $10,000 grant to Growing Oshkosh, based on the feedback of focus groups.

“Such projects like Growing Oshkosh put forth an objective that will bring people—such as mothers, children and families—together using a common
activity or goal,” Grabner said. “As a community member and UW Oshkosh alumna, it’s great to see support in such a unique community project. Not only is the sustainability of this organization promising for our community, but it also provides a unique opportunity for students and children eager to learn.”

Like roots that grow and spread to make strong plants, Growing Oshkosh is extending out into the community, too.

Raised boxes were put in at UW Oshkosh’s Head Start late last summer to give young students an opportunity to grow and eat their own food. In 2013, a grant from UW Oshkosh’s Creating a Stronger Community Contest, which Growing Oshkosh won, will fund a Hope and Healing Garden at the main urban farm headquarters in downtown Oshkosh.

In the future, Growing Oshkosh has plans to both grow and sustain. Building school gardens and giving community members access to healthy foods to promote healthy eating is a primary focus for 2013, Stolley said.

Growing Oshkosh is an urban farm located in the heart of downtown Oshkosh at the Hooper Community Center. Within the hoop houses–an indoor growing environment -everything from herbs and vegetables to fish and flowers will be grown and raised. Check out the photo gallery from the urban farm. 

• Read about Kat McCard, a UW Oshkosh student who is an intern for Growing Oshkosh.


20s
Margaret Walters (EHS) ’25, Wild Rose, June 15, 2012

30s
Josephine (Kildsig) Bezvoda (EHS) ’33, Pacifica, Calif., 
Dec. 26, 2012
Vera (Wentzel) Kitchen (EHS) ’34, Palm Desert, Calif., Oct. 3, 2012
Marie (Ritger) March (EHS) ’37, Markesan, Dec. 1, 2012
Virginia (Keefe) Nolan, last year 
attended ’33, Pickett, Dec. 16, 2012
Jane (Engel) Sizer (EHS) ’37, Fond du Lac, Oct. 9, 2012
Jean (McVicar) Volkman (EHS) ’38, Wautoma, Dec. 30, 2012

40s
Loretta (Gartman) Beck (EHS) ’40, Oshkosh, Oct. 22, 2012
Mary (Orovich) Blazer (EHS) ’46, Appleton, Nov. 3, 2012
Ruth (Root) Dahlk (EHS) ’48, Lake Geneva, July 18, 2012
Marian Erickson (EHS) ’49 and ’56, Waukau, Sept. 24, 2012
Helen (Stoehr) Griep (EHS) ’45, Oshkosh, Oct. 20, 2012
Elizabeth Kirst (EHS) ’41, 
La Crosse, Sept. 7, 2012
Irene (Flannery) Madden 
(EHS) ’40 and ’70, Appleton, 
Dec. 26, 2012
Betty (Maier) Meyer (EHS) 
’44 and ’71, Las Vegas, Nev., 
Dec. 12, 2012
George Meyer, last year attended ’42, Las Vegas, Nev., Aug. 27, 2012
John Nelson (EHS) ’49, Mequon, Jan. 6, 2012
Hazel (Scovel) O’Meara 
(EHS) ’42 and ’63, Winneconne, 
Oct. 27, 2012
John Procknow (EHS) ’40, Oshkosh, Sept. 27, 2012
Gerald Smith, last year attended ’42, Oshkosh, Dec. 10, 2012

50s
Evan Gagnon (EHS) ’51, 
Beaver Dam, Nov. 1, 2012
Milton Hillery (EHS) ’55, Orono, Maine, Jan. 15, 2013
Milton Lautenschlager (EHS) ’50, Fond du Lac, Sept. 11, 2012
Gust Mastricola (EHS) ’50, 
Lake Forest, Ill., Sept. 6, 2012
Allen Onnink (EHS) ’52, 
Brevard, N.C., Oct. 7, 2012
Frank Pica (EHS) ’55, Wautoma, Oct. 24, 2012
Donald Theyerl (EHS) ’58, Appleton, Dec. 18, 2012
Julia (Heuring) Thome (EHS) ’57, New Holstein, Aug. 17, 2012

60s
John Bostwick (LS) ’66, Burlington, Sept. 11, 2012
Thomas Christian (LS) ’67, Green Bay, Dec. 8, 2012
Joel De Lorme (EHS) ’62, Orfordville, Nov. 18, 2012
Dale Egnoski (LS) ’66, 
Beaver Dam, Jan. 17, 2013
Mary (Schiner) Ellis (EHS) ’61, Marinette, Dec. 11, 2012
June (Whirry) Goodrich (EHS) ’61, Hartland, Aug. 3, 2012
Kathleen (Malone) Goza (EHS) ’63, Cumming, Ga., Jan. 8, 2013
Joseph Hemmer Jr. (EHS) ’61, Muskego, Dec. 31. 2012
Carol Henkle (LS) ’67 and (EHS) ’70, Princeton, Jan. 13, 2013
Stephen Hoffman (EHS) ’68, Scottsdale, Ariz., Oct. 20, 2012
Judith (Cleveland) Hubli (LS) ’63, Kenosha, May 31, 2012
Virginia Johnson (EHS) ’65, Sturgeon Bay, Oct. 19, 2012
Joseph Kasik (LS) ’67, Eugene, Ore., Nov. 8, 2012
Edward LaFleur (EHS) ’66, 
New Berlin, Dec. 14, 2012
Susan (Sell) McRoberts (LS) ’68, Rochester, Minn., July 28, 2012
David Mueller (EHS) ’65 and (MSE) ’71, Plymouth, Dec. 7, 2012
Betty Priebe (EHS) ’69, Middleton, Sept. 29, 2012
Lucille Schmit (EHS) ’63, Menomonie, Dec. 11, 2012
James Smithers (EHS) ’64, Sheboygan, Oct. 20, 2012
Frank Sorgent (EHS) ’66, Mayville, Aug. 22, 2012
Kathleen Vanden Heuvel (EHS) ’64 and (MSE) ’93, Green Bay, Dec. 1, 2012
Michael Voss (LS) ’65, Woodcliff Lake, N.J., Aug. 15, 2012
Frank Willkom (LS) ’62, Sun Prairie, Aug. 27, 2012
Roger Wolf (LS) ’61, Armstrong Creek, Sept. 10, 2012
James Ziarnik (LS) ’65 and (MSE) ’76, Oshkosh, Jan. 17, 2013
David Zitlow (LS) ’62, Quinnesec, Mich., Oct. 4, 2012

70s
Ethel (Belleau) Ankerson (EHS) ’73, Coleman, Sept. 12, 2012
Gary Brukardt (LS) ’71, Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 21, 2012
Thomas Burke (LS) ’75, Oshkosh, Nov. 11, 2012
Roberta Burkhardt 
(MST) ’78, Westerly, R.I., 
Aug. 30, 2012
Sue (Birkholz) Clement 
(EHS) ’76, Beloit, Aug. 15, 2012
Colleen Connors (EHS) ’78, Wabeno, Oct. 12, 2012
Nate Danielson (EHS) ’70 
and (MSE) ’78, Fond du Lac, 
Oct. 21, 2012
James Early (EHS) ’72, Menasha, Sept. 20, 2012
Omar Elshatshat (LS) ’75, Janesville, Dec. 6, 2012
Robert Gaecke (B) ’70, 
Fort Myers, Fla., Jan. 3, 2013
James Guilfoyle (MBA) ’74, 
Port Edwards, Dec. 17, 2012
Harold Henes (LS) ’73, Grafton, Dec. 1, 2012
Clifford Kramer (EHS) ’74, Madison, Nov. 17, 2012
Charles Krause (B) ’72, 
Boynton Beach, Fla., Oct. 18, 2012
Michael Leary (LS) ’73, Crivitz, July 26, 2012
John Luebke (LS) ’78, 
Green Bay, Jan. 24, 2012
Christopher Mauritz (LS) ’72, Theresa, July 31, 2012
James McKnight (EHS) ’72, Plymouth, Oct. 29, 2012
James Meyer (LS) ’70, 
Brandon, Sept. 12, 2012
Woodrow Miller (B) ’71, Phoenix, Ariz., Nov. 4, 2012
Frederick Murley (MBA) ’72, Kerrville, Texas, Sept. 10, 2012
Shirley Oleck (EHS) ’72, 
Pound, Nov. 6, 2012
Jody (Skogg) Redlin (LS) ’74, Appleton, Sept. 26, 2012
Mark Schneider (EHS) ’73, Onalaska, Aug. 13, 2012
Greogry Schweitzer (MSE) ’78, Chilton, Dec. 30, 2012
Michael Spreeman (LS) ’79, Wautoma, Sept. 5, 2012
Lawrence Thompson (LS) ’76 and (MSE) ’83, Frederiksted, Virgin Islands, March 2, 2012
Charlotte Werner (EHS) ’73, Appleton, Aug. 4, 2012

80s
David Brown (MA) ’89, Wisconsin Rapids, Nov. 20, 2012
Peter Calder (B) ’84, Oshkosh, Nov. 10, 2012
Helen Dickinson (MA) ’87, Oshkosh, July 4, 2012
Alton Erickson (LS) ’88, Wales, Aug. 26, 2012
Timothy Fahey (MBA) ’89, Madison, Aug. 20, 2012
Eugene Freiburger (LS) ’84, Franklin, Aug. 6, 2012
Bruce Herzog (LS) ’83, Oshkosh, Nov. 12, 2012
Joseph Landry (EHS) ’81 and (MSE) ’88, Appleton, Jan. 13, 2013
Joan Lauby (EHS) ’81, Appleton, July 21, 2012
Kim Mooney (LS) ’87 & (MPA) ’09, Fond du Lac, July 22, 2012
Mark Nelson (MBA) ’86, Kimberly, Sept. 9, 2012
Mark Ristow (B) ’81, 
Edwards, Colo., Aug. 26, 2012
Nancy Woods (MSE) ’83, Tucson, Ariz., June 30, 2012

90s
Kevin Davies (LS) ’97, Plymouth, Nov. 5, 2012
Chad Davis (LS) ’94, Sherwood, Jan. 19, 2013
Jennifer (Milbeck) Engel (LS) ’97, Franklin, Jan. 18, 2013
Charlie Johnson (LS) ’93, Denmark, Jan. 17, 2013
Thomas Ristow (LS) ’94, DePere, Aug. 5, 2012
Christopher White (LS) ’94, Champaign, Ill., Aug. 28, 2012

00s
Steven Jahns (EHS) ’03, Oshkosh, Jan. 22, 2013
Thomas Roloff (LS) ’02, Campbellsport, Oct. 19, 2012

Former Faculty and Friends
Michael Brandt, art professor, 1963–1983, July 24, 2012
Anita Dahlke, director, 
Reading Study Center 1964–1990, Jan. 11, 2013
Alice Duren, associate professor, College of Education and 
Human Services, 1955–1989, 
Aug. 30, 2012
Francis Girard, associate art professor, 1968–1989, Oct. 1, 2012
John E. Kerrigan, 
UWO Chancellor 1990–2000, Nov. 5, 2012
Frederick Luebke, central stores/receiving, 1969–1988, 
Aug. 28, 2012
Eleanor (Ellie) C. Maslowski, office administrator, Dean of Students, 1994–2013, Jan. 29, 2013
Watson Parker, history professor 1965–1986, Jan. 9, 2013
Norma Russell, 
College of Nursing, 1979–2005, 
Aug. 14, 2012

“Staying connected is the ultimate goal of alumni relations,” said Amanda Betts ’10, chair of the Alumni Association’s Marketing Committee. “Using a network, such as LinkedIn, we can grow, learn and support one another in a secure professional platform that fosters connections. So get connected, stay informed and grow with your fellow alumni!”

To join, visit linkedin.com and search for the University 
of Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Association group.

Benefit Bonanza
The UW Oshkosh Alumni Association continues to seek out opportunities that add value to your UW Oshkosh degree long after your graduation day. Through several new partnerships, the Alumni Association now offers special auto, home and long-term care insurance plans. In addition, alumni can check out new credit card options with iconic campus imagery.

Learn more.