University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Location/Environment
UWM’s 93-acre campus is located on Milwaukee’s upper East Side, one of the
city’s most attractive residential areas and home to many faculty, staff and
students. The campus lies just five blocks from the beautiful shoreline of
Lake Michigan.
Its location in the business, financial, cultural and industrial heart of
the state gives students an edge in getting professional experience while
still in school.
The compact campus is situated along residential tree-lined streets and
stately homes 10 minutes from downtown. UWM is ranked as the second safest
campus in Wisconsin.
History
Originally founded in 1885 as the Milwaukee State Normal School, the school
expanded its curriculum in 1927 to become the Milwaukee State Teachers
College. In 1951, it became Wisconsin State College-Milwaukee, and in 1956,
UW-Milwaukee was created with a merger of the State College and the
University of Wisconsin Extension Center in Milwaukee
UWM Today
UWM has an enrollment of more than 25,000 students, the second largest in
the state. The university boasts 120 undergraduate majors and submajors, 48
masters and 17 doctoral degree programs. They are separated into the
following schools and colleges:
Allied Health Professions
The Arts
Architecture and Urban Planning
Education
Business Administration
Nursing
Engineering & Applied Science
Social Welfare
Library & Information Science
Letters & Science
Faculty
With a distinguished faculty of more than 1,300, UWM is listed among the top
100 public institutions in the nation in research and development
expenditures. UWM’s individual schools and colleges have achieved national
recognition, as well as top accreditation, by their review groups.
Areas Of Excellence
UWM has nine University System Centers of Excellence, areas of the
university that have received special recognition from the UW System Board
of Regents for outstanding achievements in diverse area of instruction,
scholarship, research and performance. They are:
School of Architecture and Urban Planning
Center for Business Competitiveness
Institute of Chamber Music
Center for Great Lakes Studies
Professional Theatre Training Program
Laboratory for Surface Studies
Center for Teacher Education
Center for Twentieth-Century Studies
Women’s Studies Consortium
Among The Best
UWM is one of 148 U.S. colleges and universities (from a total of 3,600)
ranked by the Carnegie Foundation in the top group called Doctoral/Research
Universities - Extensive.
Alumni
65 percent of alumni remain in Southeastern Wisconsin, and include many of
Milwaukee’s business, cultural and community leaders. More than 100,000 UWM
grads live in all 50 states and abroad.
Among UWM’s many distinguished graduates are Golda Meir (Education ‘17), the
former prime minister of Israel, for whom the UWM library is named.
Notable graduates in the sports world include the late NASCAR champion Alan
Kulwicki (Mechanical Engineering ‘77) and former NFL All-Pro defensive back
Mike Reinfeldt (Business ‘75), vice president and chief financial officer of
the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Reinfeldt previously
worked for the Green Bay Packers. NFL referee Bill Carollo, who officiated
the 2003 Super Bowl, is also a UWM grad.
U.S World Cup standout Tony Sanneh also attended UWM, as did Illinois men’s
basketball coach Bruce Weber.