UWO Today
UW-Oshkosh student entrepreneur is runner-up in competitive Fox Connection’s The Pitch contest
A UW-Oshkosh student took home runner-up honors in the Fox Connections Pitch after placing second in a very competitive field of top entries from five area campuses.
In photo: UWO athletics 9th annual Oshcars celebration
An evening of athletic achievements, academic accomplishments and community service was celebrated when the UW-Oshkosh Athletics Department hosted the 9th annual Oshcars awards ceremony April 27 at the Culver Family Welcome Center.
Nearly 500 votes were cast as the athletics department handed out awards and celebrated the success of the past year.
The event saw UW-Oshkosh student-athletes from all 21 sports as well as coaches, support staff and administrators come together to celebrate the department’s accomplishments from the 2025 spring season through the 2025-26 winter campaign.
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Chancellor Manohar Singh: Inauguration Day breakfast
At UW-Oshkosh, April 24 began with an Inauguration Day Breakfast!
In just a few hours, Manohar Singh will formally be invested as the 12th Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh.
See photos (below) from the morning gathering with friends and family.
Chancellor Singh’s pre-inauguration party at The Gibson
A gathering was held April 23 at The Gibson in Oshkosh, the evening prior to Manohar Singh’s formal installation as UW-Oshkosh’s 12th chancellor.
Check out photos in the gallery below.
UWO Spring Internship & Career Fair connects students and employers
Check out this video capturing the outstanding turnout of both UWO students and employers at this week’s Career and Internship Fair. The energy inside Kolf was a powerful reminder of what makes these events so special—students ready to launch, employers eager to connect and a campus community committed to opening doors.
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UW-Oshkosh Career & Professional Development
View photos from the career fair
Student sports announcer Brayden Junkers finds his voice at UW-Oshkosh
UW-Oshkosh sophomore Radio-TV-Film and journalism student Brayden Junkers found his voice by BEING the voice of Titans Athletics.
Student-athletes at UWO aren’t he only ones whose journeys are enriched by championships. Junkers had a seat at the radio microphone for UWO Volleyball’s fall 2025 championship run, merely one example of the outstanding athletics performances he has helped capture in just the first two years of his education at the university.
Here’s Junkers in his own words about the career-enhancing power of his experience so far…
Video: UWO alumni, it was a great year!
2025 brought so much Titan pride to all of our UW-Oshkosh alumni. We can’t wait to see what 2026 brings!
UW Oshkosh alumni Obituaries: May 2026
’60s
Emil Bohn ’60, Neshkoro, April 7, 2026
Jana Dreier ’63, Shawano, March 30, 2026
Richard Hilnak ’64, Appleton, April 3, 2026
Janice “Jenny” (Marquis) Holmes ’60, Niagara, March 23, 2026
Roger Kimps ’69, Howard, March 31, 2026
Frederick Klaeser ’68, ’78 (MST), Chilton, March 11, 2026
Janice Lehnert ’66, Algoma, March 29, 2026
Kathleen Mayer ’69, Redgranite, March 21, 2026
Robert D. Olson ’67, St. John, Indiana, April 8, 2026
William “Bill” Seis ’68, Antigo, April 2, 2026
Ruth Weyer ’64, ’73 (MSE), Fond du Lac, March 17, 2026
’70s
John Ambrose ’74, Oshkosh, Jan. 14, 2026
David Hanke ’72, Leroy, March 20, 2026
William Sandberg ’70, Ripon, April 9, 2026
Kathryn Swender ’77 (MSE), Appleton, March 30, 2026
’80s
Patricia Wondra ’89 (MSN), Mayville, March 23, 2026
‘90s
Dennis Dwayne ’96, Omro, March 28, 2026
Amy Zipp ’97, Niagara, March 13, 2026
‘00s
John Abbott ’02, Mequon, April 1, 2026
Friends and Faculty
Valerie Bales ’97, program assistant 1997-2003, Appleton, April 6, 2026
Helen Briwa, associate professor 1968-1994, athletics director 1971-1988, Oshkosh, April 1, 2026
August “Augie” Helgerson ’74 (MSE), assistant registrar, director of admissions 1967-1994, Oshkosh, April 2, 2026
UW-Oshkosh alumni Class Notes: May 2026
’64 Betty Lange, of Oakfield, has worked in education since she was 19 years old. Following a career in teaching, Lange continues to serve students at age 90 as a daily classroom volunteer at St. Luke’s Lutheran School.
’76 Rob Richardson, of Racine, was a product system engineer and special projects developer with IBM in the late ‘80s and ‘90s. Richardson developed the go-no-go system which was recently used in the launch of the Artemis II mission around the moon.
’79 Rick Gundrum, of Slinger, has served as a State of Wisconsin Assembly representative since 2018. Gundrum has served in local, county and state government for 20 years and will not seek another term this fall. He looks forward to more time with family.
’85 Joy Smith, of Lakeland, Florida, wrote Taboo Tech, a new science fiction book which was mentioned in Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s New Book Review.
Joy Smith
’89 Robert Liddy, of Longwood, Florida, authored a new book entitled Rise of the Crew: The Phoenix Diaries, Book 5. Liddy has a diverse background including service in the Peace Corps, law enforcement, agriculture and more than a decade in the U.S. Army with deployments in Bosnia and Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
’89 John Matz, of Oshkosh, is retiring after 16 years as Winnebago County Sheriff and 36 years of law enforcement. Matz is a former 30-year veteran who retired from the military in 2017 as Command Sergeant Major of the 120th Field Artillery Battalion.
’91 Mark Roloff, of Madison, retired after 31 years as a cartographer and Geographic Information System (GIS) specialist with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service.
’94 Jolene (Brandl) Schneider, of Oshkosh, is chair-elect of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin, comprised of over 1,000 attorneys, guardians ad litem, family court commissioners and judges. Schneider is a shareholder and family law attorney at Remley Law, S.C. in Neenah.
Jolene (Brandl) Schneider
’95, ’02 and ’20 (MS) Brian Borchardt, of Neenah, was elected mayor of Neenah. Borchardt was formerly a teacher in the Neenah Joint School District.
’97 Jamal Scott, of Oswego, Illinois, was named the tenth president of Highland Community College. A respected leader in higher education, Scott has more than 25 years of experience.
’00 Lisa (Greening) Wright, of Combined Locks, is an honorary guest cancer survivor for the 2026 American Cancer Society Sole Burner 5K Walk-Run in Appleton. Wright is a two-time breast cancer survivor and an oncology nurse navigator with ThedaCare.
’16 Eric Milburn, of Lakewood, Colorado, started his business Healthy Hemp Homes in 2018, building eco-friendly, sustainable housing. After working five years as a carpenter, project manager and subcontractor, Mulburn became licensed as a general contractor and built his first off-grid hemp house in Littleton.
’18 Jack Taschner, of Neenah, is a captain with the Appleton Police Department’s Investigative and Community Resource Unit. Taschner is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.
’20 Jordan Quade, of Markesan, is the operations manager at Continental Laundry Solutions.
’24 Kelly Garrett, of Freedom, is the senior events coordinator for A-mazing Events.
Celebration Of Life Planned For Legendary Titan Helen Briwa
A celebration of life for Helen Briwa, the only women’s director of athletics in UW-Oshkosh history will be held from 5-7 p.m. Friday, May 1 at the Campus Center for Equity and Diversity at 717 Irving Ave.
The celebration of life is open to the public. Guests should enter the CCED from the Elmwood Avenue entrance. Cookies and refreshments will be available and following a social, those interested will have the opportunity to speak about Helen starting at 6:30 p.m.
Born in 1932 in Hudson, N.Y. to parents William and Dorothy, Briwa received her bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College (N.Y.) in 1953, her master’s degree from Smith College (Mass.) in 1956 and her doctorate degree from Ohio State University in 1966. After arriving at UW-Oshkosh from the University of Colorado in 1968, she helped form the Wisconsin Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and became women’s athletic director in 1971. She was also associate professor of physical education and head coach of women’s badminton, volleyball, track & field, softball and field hockey. As the Titans’ women’s director, programs won four national titles (two NCAA Division III, one NAIA, one AIAW) and 18 WWIAC titles.
Briwa received a Special Recognition Award from the WWIAC in 1989 following her retirement as women’s athletic director in 1988 and was inducted into the UW-Oshkosh Athletics (2006) and WIAC (2022) halls of fame.
An avid Brewers and Packers fan, Briwa loved raising and showing her dachshunds. She was active in the American Kennel Club as well as the Oshkosh Kennel Club.
She is survived by her sister, Dorothy Ball, her niece, Jennifer Wagar, and her nephew, Barent Ball.
Learn more:
Helen Briwa obituary
Wisconsin student musicians head to UW-Oshkosh for State Solo & Ensemble Festival
Thousands of dedicated middle and high school student musicians from Wisconsin and contiguous states are preparing for Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) State Solo & Ensemble Festivals.
UW-Oshkosh will host this event on Saturday, April 25, from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. It will be open to the public and free of charge.
“The WSMA State Music Festival is an enriching experience for all participants, both performers and their supporters,” said Dr. Nathan Krueger, festival manager for UW-Oshkosh. “It is also an opportunity for our music program to showcase our facilities and emphasize how much we value and support the efforts of our school music colleagues, their students and their families.”
Students must earn a “starred first” rating in Class A (which consists of the most difficult music) at a WSMA District Music Festival to qualify for WSMA State Music Festivals. The participants, in grades 6-12, can choose from a variety of instrumental and vocal solo and ensemble categories for their performances in district festivals throughout the state. Over the past six months, WSMA has held over 130 such events, involving more participants than any other student activity.
“WSMA State Solo & Ensemble Festivals provide a platform for Wisconsin’s musical youth to showcase growth and achievement, enriched by meaningful adjudicator feedback that guides continued learning. This opportunity exists because exceptional music educators, adjudicators, school administrators, families and communities work together to ensure all students have access to a well-rounded education inclusive of music,” said WSMA Executive Director Laurie Fellenz.
Ten university campuses will host performances by more than 11,000 students, making this event one of the largest of its kind in the nation. UWM Peck School of the Arts, UW-Platteville and UW-Whitewater will also hold festivals on April 25. Carroll University, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW-Parkside and UW-Stevens Point festivals will be held on May 2.
Learn more about WSMA State Music Festivals and other programs by visiting wsmamusic.org. Festival information, including schedules and results, will be posted as available.
Advance-Titan wins 14 Wisconsin Newspaper Association awards
Five students earned first-place honors, and The Advance-Titan took third place in the “general excellence” category.
“These awards represent the hard work that the staff puts in every week while producing the A-T,” Advance-Titan Editor-in-Chief Jacob Link said. “It awesome that we are able to showcase one of the oldest student newspapers at the state level and I am constantly impressed by the way that our staff performs hyper-local journalism that serves the community.”
“This year was a massive success, and these students should feel incredibly proud of their hard work,” said Advance-Titan Faculty Adviser Ben Birkinbine. “To be honored by working professionals in their field is a testament to the high-quality work they are producing.”
The WNA competition this year was judged by members of the Colorado Press Association.
The Advance-Titan received the following awards from the WNA:
FIRST PLACE
- Freedom of Information Award – “Save our bookstore” by Jacob Link
- Editorial Writing – “SNAP out of it!” by Angela Satterlee
- Business Reporting – “Oshkosh businesses still weigh effects of tariffs” by Elijah Plonsky
- Infographic –“UAW members on strike at Cummins” by Jessica Duch
- Use of Multimedia – “‘No Kings’ protest condemns the Trump administration” by Josh Lehner
SECOND PLACE
- Arts and Entertainment Story – “Local home provides Halloween fun” by Jessica Duch
- Health Coverage – “Fox Valley prepares for cases of measles” by Jacob Link
- Infographic – “Enrollment continues to drop” by Josh Lehner
THIRD PLACE
- General Excellence – The Advance-Titan
- Public Affairs Reporting – “Oshkosh deals with SNAP delays” by Vladyslav Plyaka
- Technology Coverage – “Chancellor, Provost launch ‘UW Infinite’ strategic planning effort at launch day” by Elijah Plonsky
- Environmental Coverage – “UWO pushes toward sustainability goals” by Josh Lehner
- Page Design – “Drones: the game changers of the war in Ukraine” by Cassidy Johnson
- Website – The Advance-Titan
Established in 1894, the Advance-Titan is produced entirely by students at UWO and serves the campus and the city of Oshkosh. The Advance-Titan is published weekly in print and is distributed across 35 locations in the city while publishing daily on its website.
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The Grand moves performances to UW-Oshkosh Theatre Arts Center during upcoming renovation
WLUK, May 7
Feature: Dominant pitching trio leads UW-Oshkosh softball to WIAC title
NBC 26, May 7
UW-Oshkosh alum makes historic $10 million donation to evolve medical & STEM fields
WFRV, May 6
$10M gift makes history at UW-Oshkosh, nursing and STEM college renamed for alumna
WLUK, May 6
Students earn special honor with outstanding solar skills at 30th annual Solar Olympics
Wisconsin Public Service, May 6