Category: Alumni News

From art student to game changer

By Kari Dickinson UW–Madison alumnus Brian Raffel’s path to the top of the video game industry has been anything but conventional. A former art student turned high school art teacher, Raffel co-founded Raven Software with his brother, Steve, in 1990, when they got a publishing deal for their first computer game, Black Crypt. What began …

Leaving Lasting Legacies

By Sarah Fuelleman  Norm and Barbara Berven are proud of UW–Madison and its School of Education. Barbara’s eyes shine when she talks about the School’s No. 1 rankings from U.S. News and World Report — its overall standing as the top school of education in the nation and its No. 1 graduate program in rehabilitation …

New York Times spotlights UW–Madison alumna Carrie Coon in Broadway’s ‘Bug’

UW–Madison alumna Carrie Coon was recently featured in the New York Times in an article headlined “Carrie Coon and Tracy Letts Want to Get Under Your Skin.” The Times article spotlights Coon and her husband, playwright Tracy Letts, and their latest project, “Bug,” which recently opened on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. The play is …

UW–Madison alumnus recognized for lifetime achievement by Legal Aid Society

UW–Madison alumnus Philip Althouse has received the C. Lyonel Jones Lifetime Achievement Award from the Legal Aid Society, an honor bestowed on full-time employees in recognition of their longstanding commitment to the nonprofit’s mission. Althouse, who earned his bachelor’s degree from the School of Education in 1979, has worked for the Legal Aid Society of …

UW–Madison alum’s public art project featured at international exhibition

UW–Madison alumnus David B. Dahlquist, who earned a bachelor’s degree from the School of Education’s Art Department in 1980, is gaining recognition on the international stage for his public art installation, “Do Something Good For Your Neighbor,” which is featured in the 19th International Architecture Exhibition, “La Biennale di Venezia,” in Venice, Italy. The exhibition is …

Marge Engelman at 98: Looking back on a lifetime of learning, serving, and breaking barriers

By Lisa Bauer, Division of Continuing Studies Born in rural Illinois in 1927, Marge Engelman’s parents had a traditional path planned for her: marriage, children and a life dedicated to family. But Engelman had other plans. At age 98, she reflected on the life she built that did include family, but also four degrees, a pioneering …

UW–Madison alumnus co-authors new book on building school–family partnerships across cultures

UW–Madison alumnus Matthew Knoester, who earned his PhD from the School of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction in 2010, has co-authored a new book titled, “Fostering School–Family Relationships in Multicultural Communities,” published by Teachers College Press on Sept. 26. Knoester is a professor and chair of the Educational Studies Department at Ripon College. His …

UW–Madison alum designs T-shirt for Milwaukee Brewers

UW–Madison alumna Emily Balsley, who graduated in 2001 with a degree in graphic design from the School of Education’s Art Department, was one of four Wisconsin artists selected to create a design for the Milwaukee Brewers’ new “T-shirt Tuesdays” promotion this season.  Balsley’s illustration, which highlights the fan experience at American Family Field, was featured …

‘Trailblazers in Motion’: New virtual history exhibit showcases UW–Madison women in physical education

By Laurel White In 1889, Clara Ballard arrived at UW–Madison from Boston’s Allen School of Gymnastics. Her arrival heralded a new era for the physical education of women in Wisconsin — one that would come to influence scholars of the body, fitness, and movement in Wisconsin and around the world for decades to come.  For her …

New UW–Madison study reveals keys to graduate student wellness, belonging, persistence

By WCER Communications A new study from the University of Wisconsin–Madison sheds light on the unique challenges Black men face when adjusting to graduate engineering programs — and offers actionable insights for improving program persistence and support for underrepresented students. Published in the journal Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, the research highlights …