20 Surprising Facts about UWM for 2020
In honor of the start of a new decade, we pulled together 20 awesome facts about UWM. Check out these cool facts and learn something new about what makes UWM unique!
1
Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at UWM in 1965 in the Union Ballroom about the need for fair employment legislation. He sent a letter to activists in Milwaukee after the March on Milwaukee writing, “What you and your courageous associates are doing in Milwaukee will certainly serve as a kind of massive nonviolence that we need in this turbulent period.”
2
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, graduated from UWM in 1990 with a master’s degree in computer science. In 2018, he was ranked the best CEO in the United States.
3
The American Geographical Society Library at UWM, located on the second floor of the Golda Meir Library, has the second largest collection of maps in the country. With over 52,000 maps, only the Library of Congress has more. Its oldest map, the Leardo Mappamundi, was created in 1452.
4
On the third floor, the UWM Libraries also houses its Special Collections, southeastern Wisconsin’s premier public collection of rare artifacts, artist books and special printed materials. Some of its texts date back to the 13th century, before the invention of the printing press.
5
UWM started in 1885 as the Milwaukee State Normal School in what is now Mitchell Hall. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee officially opened its doors to its first class of students on Sept. 25, 1956.
6
Before they were known as Holton, Merrill and Johnston Halls, these buildings were part of the Milwaukee-Downer College, created in 1895 as the first female college in Wisconsin. The college later merged with Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin in 1964.
7
Before we were the Panthers, we were the Milwaukee Cardinals. When the mascot changed, a live baby panther named Trouble actually appeared at sporting events!
8
Although UWM doesn’t have a D1 football team, we do have a Milwaukee Football Club where NFL tight end Demitrius Harris played before signing with the Kansas City Chiefs. Demetrius also played on the UWM basketball team. “I watch the games on ESPN+,” he says. “I try to catch all of them. I’m still supporting them.”
9
UWM is the only school in the state with a program in American Sign Language and all ASL instructors are deaf and highly qualified to help you learn in an immersion-like environment.
10
UWM’s Peck School of the Arts is home to one of the top film schools in the world, according to Variety magazine, and one of the top 25 film schools in the country according to The Hollywood Reporter.
11
The School of Architecture and Urban Planning is the only accredited architecture school in the state. Follow @uwm_sarup on Instagram to keep up on what our architecture students are doing!
12
UWM was ranked among the top 30 most inclusive universities in the country for the fourth year in a row by the Campus Pride Index. On their website, UWM has five out of five stars for being an LGBTQ+ friendly campus!
13
UWM began the first women’s and gender studies program in the UW-System in 1974. Today, you can pursue a major, minor, graduate certificate and master’s degree in women’s and gender studies.
14
The main campus of UWM isn’t the only one! Our campus extends to downtown Milwaukee, the Harbor District, Wauwatosa, Waukesha and Washington County.
15
The Gasthaus hosts weekly trivia nights with themes, such as Sports Night, I Love the ’90s, and Marvel Movies.
16
The UWM Food Center and Pantry in the Union is open to all students who have limited access to sustainable, nutritious foods. Nonperishable food donations are accepted in donation bins around campus, and transactions at registers in the Union and Sandburg Hall can be rounded up to the nearest dollar for a monetary donation. The Fresh Picks Mobile Market visits campus on the first Thursday of every month, providing discounted produce, dairy and meat.
17
The UWM Biological Sciences Greenhouse, located on the roof of the Northwest Quadrant (NWQ), is a 9,600-square-foot space divided into three wings and 17 rooms, each dedicated to different botanical education and research. There are 684 species from 110 plant families in the greenhouse. There are also greenhouse tours!
18
Every UWM student has access to unlimited rides on all Milwaukee County bus lines. Pick up a bus pass in the Union, download the Transit App to help you get from place to place by bus.
19
Students can use their Gold account at off-campus restaurants, such as Beans & Barley, FreshFin Poke, The Halal Guys, Noodles & Company and more. Download the GET app or visit online to manage your account and see all the places you can use your PantherCard.
20
UWM has two art galleries! The Union Art Gallery is open during the week 12–5 p.m. (on Thursdays it’s open until 7 p.m.) and frequently showcases work created by students. The Emile H. Mathis Art Gallery is in Mitchell Hall and houses UWM’s art collection, including work by Picasso and Rembrandt.
We think UWM and our students are pretty special. Which of these facts surprised you the most?
