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A TOP-TIER
RESEARCH UNIVERSITY Recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
1.5 BILLION
$
IMPACT ON WISCONSIN’S ECONOMY
THE NATION’S ONLY GRADUATE SCHOOL FOR
FRESHWATER SCIENCES
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200 MILLION
WISCONSIN’S
LARGEST CAMPAIGN
PUBLIC URBAN
$
GOAL
IN UWM’S HISTORY
OF OUR
180,986
ALUMNI
LIVE IN WISCONSIN
ONLY
RESEARCH UNIVERSITY
FIRST NATIONALLY ACCREDITED
WISCONSIN’S
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
WISCONSIN’S WISCONSIN’S
ONLY
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & URBAN PLANNING
LARGEST SCHOOLS FOR
ARTS, BUSINESS, HEALTH SCIENCES, AND NURSING
“
UW-Milwaukee is at a critical moment in its history. Our successes in research and community engagement energize us to aim higher, and we must build on that momentum. This campaign will allow us to advance our dual mission as a top-tier research institution that provides access to all who seek higher education. – CHANCELLOR MARK A. MONE
”
THIS IS WHY
On September 25, 2017, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee publicly launched the largest fundraising campaign in our university’s history. Why? Because this university is vitally important to southeastern Wisconsin and has an impact far beyond our state lines. In just 60 years, UWM has grown into one of the top research universities in the nation and, as Wisconsin’s only public urban research university, it wields a $1.5 billion impact on the state’s economy. Wisconsin’s largest schools for arts, business, health sciences, and nursing are right at UWM. And we have the state’s only school of architecture and urban planning, Wisconsin’s first nationally accredited school of public health, and the nation’s only graduate school for freshwater sciences. UWM plays a vital role in educating our teachers, health care professionals, engineers, and performing artists. If you live in southeastern Wisconsin, your life has undoubtedly been touched by someone who attended UWM. Through this campaign, we will strengthen UWM and propel it forward. Our region cannot afford to have anything less than a strong, vibrant University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to guide us into the future.
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THIS IS WHY STUDENT SUCCESS is our number one priority, during this campaign and always. Our students come from all walks of life, but they share a common goal: to improve their lives through education. UWM is a melting pot with the most diverse student body in the UW system. Many of our students enter UWM armed with years of real-world experiences, coupled with the determination to pursue a degree. More veterans attend UWM than any other school in Wisconsin, and we have been named a top LGBT+ friendly university.
39%
Students come to the university to change the course of their own lives and the lives of their families. They OF UNDERGRADS ARE are groundbreakers; 39 percent of FIRST-GENERATION undergraduate students are among COLLEGE STUDENTS the first generation to attend college. While the majority (4 out of 5) are from Wisconsin, UWM draws students from 49 states and 91 countries. Regardless of background, most students today face an uphill battle. About 80 percent of UWM students borrow money to pay tuition, and their average debt at graduation is more than $34,000 (compared to $30,650 at other UW System institutions).
STUDENTS COME FROM
49 STATES & 91 COUNTRIES 2
Scholarships can greatly alleviate the financial burden on today’s students and families. Whether need- or merit-based, scholarships give students freedom to focus on their studies, conduct research, or participate in clubs without
I don’t know if I would be in college right now if it weren’t for scholarships. I am incredibly grateful, and I hope to give back in a similar fashion in the near future. CODY AMPOMAH ’17 Recipient of Honors College’s Robert W. Baird Scholarship
80%
OF UWM STUDENTS
BORROW MONEY TO PAY TUITION
$
34,094
AVERAGE DEBT AT
GRADUATION
graduating with crippling debt. They are an investment in our future, and provide the support necessary for students to succeed. Simply put, scholarships transform lives. Donor support can make UWM more attractive and attainable to prospective students. In an age of increasing competition, a scholarship can be the tiebreaker
among families weighing options. In 2016-17, UWM awarded more than $4.2 million in donor-supported scholarships. Nearly 1,450 students (graduates and undergraduates) received an average of $2,330. With a student body of more than 25,000, scholarships are a critical priority for elevating student success.
4.2 MILLION
$
IN DONOR-SUPPORTED
SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
1,477 RECIPIENTS AVERAGE AWARD $
2,330
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THIS IS WHY RESEARCH EXCELLENCE is what makes a university stand out among peer institutions. In 2016, UWM achieved the tremendous accomplishment of being named among the nation’s top 115 research universities – out of a pool of more than 4,000 post-secondary schools. This did not happen overnight; it was the product of years of work by our faculty, staff, and students.
ONE OF AMERICA’S
TOP 115
RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES
750
UNDERGRADUATES
RESEARCH ALONGSIDE FACULTY
Research is all about asking questions and searching for answers, and at UWM, we are doing that in every discipline across the university. Even our undergraduate students take part in discoveries, with 750 undergraduates conducting research alongside our faculty. Our graduate students play a particularly important role in advancing research at UWM, and the number of Ph.D. graduates produced at UWM has a direct impact on our research rankings. Attracting the best and brightest students at all levels is critical to the productivity of our research and the stature of our university.
The results of our research have a tangible impact on those affected by our discoveries. Launched in 2006, the UWM Research Foundation has facilitated many new ideas, resulting in 52 patents issued, dozens of patent applications pending, and 70 licenses and option agreements on UWM intellectual property. 4
52 PATENTS ISSUED
(AND DOZENS PENDING)
SINCE 2006
I want to solve practical problems that will improve outcomes for older adults. My professorship allows me to do meaningful work. CHRISTINE KOVACH Professor, College of Nursing
Support for research takes many forms at UWM, including named professorships, a high honor that helps us attract and retain key faculty members. Fellowships, which take the form of stipends for graduate students, attract student researchers to our campus. Up-todate laboratory equipment enables our students and faculty to stay at the cutting edge of their fields.
70 LICENSES AND OPTION AGREEMENTS ON UWM INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Catalyst grants are another important means of support for research at UWM. These grants offer bridge funding for projects that are transitioning from the laboratory to the marketplace. This support is
critical because producing viable commercial products takes more than just great ideas.
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THIS IS WHY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT is a bedrock value at UWM. The university was created out of the idea that for Milwaukee to be a great city, it needed a great university. Since it was founded in 1956, UWM has produced more than 180,000 alumni who have made their mark not only in Wisconsin but around the world.They are our teachers, healers, leaders, social workers, entrepreneurs, and artists. They design our buildings and protect our communities. They are (businesses, health care providers, finding solutions to today’s problems nonprofits, performing arts and guiding the next generation. organizations, and schools)
HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS
UWM is an essential resource for all of southeast Wisconsin, with hundreds of concerts, lectures, and events open to the public each year. Our students and faculty work with hundreds of community partners, including businesses, health care providers, nonprofits, performing arts organizations, and schools. Students gain hands-on work experience that will prepare them for careers in their field of choice, and local organizations benefit from groundbreaking, practical research being done across the university. UWM has an outstanding reputation for community involvement. In 2015, the university was honored with two major commendations: the White House listed UWM on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, and we received the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. To celebrate the university’s 60th anniversary in 2016-17, our students, alumni, faculty, and staff to completed more than 66,000 hours of community-based scholarship, partnerships with community organizations, and volunteer work. 6
66,
HOURS
OF COMMUNITY SERVICE IN 2016 -17
My Engineers Without Borders experience in Guatemala has given purpose to my education and helped me see that there are many opportunities to help others through engineering. JIM KENNEDY ’18
Our donor partners support community engagement at UWM by sponsoring programs, lectures, performances, exhibits, and lifelong learning opportunities. They help us provide education opportunities to pre-college students, setting
young people on the road to higher education. They provide travel funds for our students and faculty to present their work at conferences around the world, and encourage our students’ most innovative ideas.
MORE THAN 180,000 ALUMNI
15 NCAA
DIVISION I TEAMS 91 HORIZON LEAGUE
TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPS 7
There are so many people who believe in the value that UWM brings to the world. Our friends and alumni rely on our graduates to power their organizations, believing that our research can help solve today’s problems, and understanding the critical importance of community partnerships. Won’t you be part of this historic campaign and keep UWM moving forward?
Visit UWM.EDU/THISISWHY to learn how you can support your passion at UWM! Office for Development & Alumni Relations Hefter Conference Center 3271 N. Lake Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (414) 229-3020
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WHO SUPPORTS UWM OTHER NOT-FOR-PROFITS
INDIVIDUALS
ALUMNI
18% 27% 20% 19% 16%
CORPORATIONS
DONORS
SAY THEY’VE INCLUDED UWM
IN THEIR WILLS
GIFTS OF
1,000+
$
PROGRESS TO
GOAL*
FOUNDATIONS
391
87%
QUALIFY FOR
CHANCELLOR SOCIETY
MEMBERSHIP
AVERAGE GIFT*
3,285
$
53,459 GIFTS FROM
17,996 DONORS*
* From the start of the campaign to November 30, 2017
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