The Universities of Wisconsin News Service is a free news and information service for Wisconsin media. Each week, the UW News Service provides up to three text and visual content packages about public higher education in Wisconsin for publication online and in print.
The content is free to use, but UW System retains copyright. See guidance on proper attribution and citation.
Additional text and visual packages are available for review at wisconsin.edu/all-in-wisconsin/.
News Packages for May 4, 2026
Music to honor a master: Ukulele kits by engineering students are in homage to alum Kuboyama
A small black case rests atop a filing cabinet in Assistant Professor Kevin Dietsche’s office. He opens the case and begins strumming a ukulele. The soft music fills the office. Dietsche, an engineering technology instructor at UW-Stout, built the ukulele 15 years ago under the guidance of Kazukiyo “Jiggs” Kuboyama, a UW-Stout alumnus and a master in his craft who was honored by the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii.
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From spring break service to City Hall: UW-Oshkosh shaped Neenah’s new mayor
After nearly two decades in the classroom, UW-Oshkosh alumnus Brian Borchardt is leaving the teaching profession to serve as Neenah’s mayor, following his April 7 election. He was sworn in April 21 at Neenah City Hall.
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Art across disciplines: Internationally recognized sculptor connects with students while creating sustainable work on campus
Danny Ness, an art education major and dedicated sculptor, rarely sketches before starting a piece. He doesn’t need to — he can see the finished work in his mind. But that began to change after he watched Wilay Méndez Páez, an internationally recognized sculptor, at work. During a campus workshop, Méndez Páez kept a sketchbook open beside him, a loose outline guiding the sculpture as it took shape.
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News Packages for April 27, 2026
UW-Platteville students contribute to fire restoration efforts across Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region
Students enrolled in Dr. Evan Larson’s Fire Ecology course in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Society participated in a four-day field trip, contributing to projects aimed at reintroducing low-intensity fire to the landscapes of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region. Students visited the University of Minnesota Cloquet Forestry Center where they piled and burned woody fuels along a burn break.
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Captivated by research, UW=Milwaukee student pursues career in water quality and safety
When Jena Choi moved from Los Angeles to Whitefish Bay in middle school, she swapped ocean beaches for freshwater ecosystems. After she enrolled in UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences, Choi realized the possibilities of lifelong work in water. At UWM, she has made meaningful contributions to lab work, snagging multiple awards for her research analyzing water dynamics and quality.
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Equine therapy gives clinical mental health students skills to support clients’ growth
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News Packages for April 20, 2026
UW-Stevens Point student builds leadership through connection and initiative
From her first days at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Marzia Azimi approached college as a space for growth, learning and connection. Like many students navigating a new campus, she encountered unfamiliar environments, expectations and experiences that prompted her to become more intentional about how she showed up, communicated and built relationships.
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Warhawk alum finds niche in science writing
Monica Cull, a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater graduate from Hartford, Wisconsin, has always considered herself a writer. Having been drawn to writing travel blogs and other forms of journalistic writing since she was young, she knew that she wanted to go into a career that would allow her skill with words to flourish.
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Refugee experience comes alive outside the classroom
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