SECC Campaign Is Over the Top!

By Dr. Joan Prince, Vice Chancellor – Partnerships and Innovation

Above: Round one of the "shearing" of Interim CIO Bruce Maas. Below: the CHS Chili cookoff.

The UWM SECC campaign has come to an official end with wonderful results. We have exceeded our goal of $150,000 and the pledges are still coming in.

Our Chancellor's Loaned Executive, Tricia Maldonado – academic adviser in the Gear Up program, is on record stating that it was a "great experience where leadership skills were developed and one could get a firsthand view of how UWM's participation impacts the community." She spent six weeks in residence at the United Way SECC campaign headquarters, acting as our campus liaison.

Over the course of the campaign, the UWM team worked diligently to promote the initiative through special events and incentive activities. Activities such as a chili cookoff sponsored by the College of Health Sciences, a CD, book, and bake sale sponsored by Enrollment Services, and a CD and a book sale sponsored by the Center for Urban Initiatives and Research helped to raise awareness across campus.

Of special note was the "shearing" of Bruce Maas, our campus interim chief information officer. Bruce agreed to have his head and beard shaved as part of the I&MT Chrome Dome competition if his area reached its goal.

Weekly raffle drawings were also conducted, with employees winning multiple items, such as gift cards to area merchants, includng Jewel-Osco, Pick 'N Save, Mayfair Mall and Brookfield Square.

For the third year in a row, the UWM Retired Faculty participated in the campaign -- with the third increase in giving in a row!

Our faculty and staff continue to be the support system for the campaign. Long-term campaign members such as Mary Heller (CABHR), Tom Louchbaum (Administrative Affairs), and Corliss Wood (School of Education), and the wonderful staff in Payroll continue to step up to the plate each year to provide their leadership.

But the fun is not over. On Jan. 17, 2006, two grand prizes will be drawn from the pool of those who participated in the campaign. The grand prizes include a One Night Romance package at the Hyatt Regency and use of the chancellor's parking space for one day!