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Stronger Communities

Wisconsin’s local communities share common challenges, such as addressing economic downturns, achieving affordable health care, improving education, and providing greater access to educational opportunity. The UW is working in stronger partnership with Wisconsin communities to address these challenges and reinvigorate the Wisconsin Idea for the 21st century.

The UW System’s annual impact on Wisconsin’s economy is estimated to be more than $15 billion. That represents a $15 return for every $1 invested in the UW by state taxpayers.

If the university is successful at providing a robust workforce and supporting vibrant industry clusters, stronger communities will follow. However, the public university must also take an active role in the process:

Statewide reach: UW-Extension, which includes offices in each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties as well as public television and radio stations, provides unmatched access for businesses, families, and community members of all ages. In addition, all 26 UW campuses offer outreach programs that provide valuable, affordable learning opportunities tailored to their local communities.
Campus-community engagement: Faculty and staff across the state provide timely responses to emerging community challenges, especially important in times of economic uncertainty. “Wisconsin Idea Forums” and other public events are bringing together diverse parties to solve complex challenges that directly affect all Wisconsin residents.
Civic engagement: The university is equipping students with skills that prepare them for civic involvement – such as forums on civil dialogue – enabling them to serve as engaged members in their community in both public and private sectors.
Commitment to diversity: The UW is continuing its mission to support diversity, close the achievement gap, and provide educational access to all regions of the state.
Arts and cultural events: UW campuses generate and sponsor arts and cultural events of all kinds, including musical and theatrical performances, visual and fine arts programs, guest speakers, multi-day symposia and festivals, and more. These events – by students and faculty, as well as outside performers and speakers – attract numerous people to campus and surrounding communities, support local businesses, and enrich lives.
Science, engineering, and innovation: As engines of invention, UW campuses work with local entrepreneurs to speed innovations to market and create jobs across Wisconsin. UW campuses are also “Destinations for Exploration” where Wisconsinites of all ages can come experience science.

UW-La Crosse alumni prosecute criminal cases statewide to preserve justice

Posted by Jennifer on Mar 13, 2013 in Collaboration, Featured, Responsiveness, Security, Stronger Communities, UW-La Crosse | 0 comments

Kevin Potter stands in his office on the eighth floor of the Wisconsin Department of Justice overlooking the capitol. From a shelf filled with UW-La Crosse football memorabilia, he grips a coffee mug with a picture of himself and three other teammates in UW-L jerseys. The picture is from one of the years they won the conference championship under legendary Coach Roger Harring. “You don’t always appreciate some of the things coaches imparted on you, but looking back you realize how smart they were,” says Potter, a 1977 graduate....

Bringing the Universe to Wisconsin presents at UW-Platteville

Posted by Jennifer on Feb 18, 2013 in Collaboration, Engineering, Environment, Featured, Responsiveness, Stronger Communities, Technology, UW-Platteville | 0 comments

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — Six University of Wisconsin-Platteville graduates returned to campus to present their experience living in Antarctica and working on the $280 million project, Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center for the National Science Foundation. IceCube was primarily a physics collaboration, but required engineering components with constructing the infrastructure, machines and tools used for studying particles within the Antarctic ice. UW-Platteville graduates built equipment such as the hot water drill used to carve...

Practicing what we teach

Posted by Jennifer on Feb 7, 2013 in Collaboration, Featured, Responsiveness, Stronger Communities, Stronger Workforce, UW-Whitewater | 0 comments

The professor knelt on the brightly carpeted floor to introduce herself to a small child. “My name is Dr. Fox and I’m going to be in your classroom today,” she said. Why is a college professor teaching kindergartners and first-graders? Because she’s “practicing what we teach’’ in an innovative program in the College of Education and Professional Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Education professors regularly advise their students to be ready to step into an unfamiliar classroom and take charge. Now, some of...

Making Global Connections: Fab Lab brings MIT, worldwide technology network to UW-Stout

Posted by Jennifer on Jan 31, 2013 in Collaboration, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Featured, Manufacturing, Responsiveness, Stronger Businesses, Stronger Communities, Stronger Workforce, Technology, UW-Stout | 0 comments

Menomonie, Wis. — A new laboratory on the University of Wisconsin-Stout campus is for dreamers who want to see their ideas come to life. “It’s a place where people can share their ideas and build almost anything,” said Ken Smith, research associate for the UW-Stout Discovery Center. Student employee uses Fab Lab Karl Wolter, of Eau Claire, a student employee at the UW-Stout Discovery Center Fab Lab, works with a CNC router that is computer controlled. A fab lab, or digital fabrication laboratory, allows users to produce...

Providing industry solutions and high-impact student experiences

Posted by Jamie on Dec 10, 2012 in Energy, Featured, Responsiveness, Stronger Communities, Stronger Workforce, Technology, UW-Eau Claire | 0 comments

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Materials Science Center was one of several innovative programs featured at the fall meeting of the Materials Research Society in Boston, Mass. MRS is a global professional association that facilitates the exchange of information and encourages collaboration across various fields of science affecting materials. UW-Eau Claire students Jason Leicht, a senior physics major from Little Chute, and Caramon Ives, a senior materials science major from Eau Claire, attended the conference to accept a certificate...

UW Oshkosh’s growth, success help power new ‘Opportunity Oshkosh’ campaign

Posted by Jamie on Dec 10, 2012 in Collaboration, Featured, Responsiveness, Return on Investment, Stronger Businesses, Stronger Communities | 0 comments

It makes sense that the state University “where excellence and opportunity meet” is a major player and power involved in the new, community economic-development campaign flying under the banner “Opportunity Oshkosh.” The Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce and local economic development agencies unveiled their “Opportunity Oshkosh” marketing campaign Nov. 29. The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh has joined a collaborative array of local and regional agencies and companies supporting the campaign and a number of economic-development...

Pioneer Farm helps Grant County 4-H Livestock Team advance to third national contest

Posted by Jennifer on Dec 7, 2012 in Agriculture, Stronger Communities, UW-Platteville | 0 comments

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm has long since been a source of educational opportunities for students and the university as well as community members, in particular, the Grant County 4-H Livestock Team, which competed in Kansas City, Mo. in early November at the American Royal Competition. Teams from Grant County have attended and qualified for three national competitions in the past three years. The Pioneer Farm provides students with the opportunity to view several classes of competitive...

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College and UW-Superior to begin new program to prepare more Native American teachers

Posted by Jennifer on Nov 30, 2012 in Collaboration, Cultural Impact, Stronger Communities, UW-Superior | 0 comments

A $1.1 million federal grant will enable Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College and the University of Wisconsin-Superior to launch a collaborative program to prepare more Native American teachers, including some proficient in the Ojibwe language. The grant from the U.S. Department of Education will fund the first four years of the Lac Courte Oreilles Future Indian Teachers Project. The grant was received by Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College in cooperation with the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Council and UW-Superior. The need...

EPA grants UWO another $1 million to make beaches safer

Posted by Jamie on Nov 8, 2012 in Responsiveness, Stronger Communities, UW Oshkosh | 0 comments

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced seven Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grants – including two for the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh – totaling more than $2.6 million, to improve water quality at Great Lakes beaches in Michigan and Wisconsin. The grants were announced Aug. 28 by EPA Regional Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager Susan Hedman at Samuel Myers Park in Racine, one of the beaches targeted for work under the grants. UW Oshkosh was awarded $1 million (two grants of $500,000 each) to...

Great Lake grant will boost Phuture Phoenix programs

Posted by Jennifer on Nov 8, 2012 in Responsiveness, Stronger Communities, UW-Green Bay | 0 comments

GREEN BAY — The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Phuture Phoenix program has been awarded a one-year, $177,579 grant to expand and focus efforts to prepare disadvantaged middle and high school students in Northeastern Wisconsin for higher education. Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation (Great Lakes) announced the award Monday, Feb 20. Through community investments, Great Lakes funds programs that foster workforce development and improve economic competitiveness by increasing the number of disadvantaged students who start...

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