Issued by: Debbie Fagan 414-229-2585 kquirk@uwm.edu Date: May 9, 2002

Milwaukee Idea Results Highlighted in New UWM Report

Progress being made in Wisconsin by The Milwaukee Idea is detailed in a new report released today by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Idea is UWM's groundbreaking effort to bring the resources and proven expertise of the state's only public urban research university to partnerships with the people of Greater Milwaukee and Wisconsin. The report describes advancements being made in 15 initiatives that address challenges in education, economic development and community and environmental health.

"I welcome this opportunity to share the achievements of the Milwaukee Idea and to demonstrate that UWM is steadfast in its commitment to making The Milwaukee Idea a force for improving people's lives," said UWM Chancellor Nancy Zimpher.

"As this Report to the Community so clearly shows, The Milwaukee Idea is now an array of exciting partnerships and unprecedented collaborative efforts. Through the Milwaukee idea we are helping to educate our urban youth, protect our environment and our health, create and sustain prosperity in our neighborhoods and make high tech industry a reality throughout the state."

The report is available in PDF format at the Milwaukee Idea web site. (An Adobe Acrobat reader is required to view the report.)

A sampling of Milwaukee Idea results include:

• Providing training to over 100 middle school teachers involved in a program which prepares students in urban middle schools to attend college. (Initiative: Partnerships in Education)
• Assisting in the development and implementation of curriculum for the Milwaukee Public Schools new Lynde and Harry Bradley School of Technology and Trade. (Initiative: Partnerships in Education)
• Graduating more than 60 students from a program which offers emerging entrepreneurs a chance to gain critical business skills, develop business plans and attract financing. (Initiative: Consortium for Economic Opportunity)

• Creating a "Quick Response Team" of faculty, students and staff to efficiently respond to community groups seeking help with design issues. The team has worked on more than 25 such requests, which include providing streetscapes, design proposals and redevelopment strategies. (Initiative: Campus Design Solutions)
• Designing a range of educational programs, from certificates to graduate studies, to help nonprofit leaders keep organizations strong. (Initiative: Nonprofit Management Education)
• Increasing study abroad by more than 90 percent in the past two years, with 450 students in international study this year alone. (Initiative: Global Passport).
• Surveying drinking and drug use on campus and educating students and the community about its effects. (Initiative: Healthy Choices)
• Launching the Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems which focuses on web-based techniques that allow machines and systems to monitor their own performance and predict breakdowns before they occur.

"We are proud of these accomplishments and the many others chronicled in the pages of this Report to the Community, " said Stephen Percy, Chancellor's Deputy for The Milwaukee Idea. "We are proud too, of the large number of individuals and organizations that have partnered with UWM to help make The Milwaukee Idea a reality."

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