Recent UW-Parkside Stories

KENOSHA — Steve Donovan, founding executive director of Parkside Works at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, will retire at the end of August.

John Skalbeck, assistant vice chancellor for academic partnerships at UW-Parkside, will succeed Donovan, the university announced Thursday. Since 2025, Parkside Works has operated as the partnership and workforce innovation office at UW-Parkside.

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside proudly celebrated the Class of 2026 on Saturday, May 16, as more than 500 graduates took their well-deserved steps across the stage at the Spring Commencement ceremony in the De Simone Arena in the Sports and Activity Center.

Johannes Britz, a regent for the Universities of Wisconsin, congratulated students on behalf of the Board of Regents and emphasized the importance of education, saying, “It’s truly a remarkable accomplishment. I hope you find your dream job, a promotion or a different job.” Britz quoted Nelson Mandela, “It’s in your power to make a difference in the lives of other people.” Dr. Johannes Britz is the senior vice president for the Universities of Wisconsin Division of Academic and Student Affairs and a Universities of Wisconsin regent. He holds two doctoral degrees from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Britz currently serves on the editorial board of multiple academic journals and is a member of national and international committees in higher education as well as a member of the South African Academy for Science and Art.

Investments in artificial intelligence could shape the future of industry in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin's manufacturing base, which has historically been a core industry in the state, is moving to become more data-driven, said Abey Kuruvilla, a business professor and business department chair at UW-Parkside.

SOMERS — The University of Wisconsin-Parkside will hold its Spring Commencement in the De Simone Arena in the Sports and Activity Center today.

Two ceremonies will honor more than 500 graduates. The first ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. with doors opening at 8 a.m. and the second ceremony will begin at 1 p.m., with the doors opening at 12 p.m.

KENOSHA, Wis. – Parkside Athletics has announced it will begin taking nominations for the Class of 2026 Parkside Hall of Fame, which will be inducted this fall in DeSimone Arena. The athletics department encourages all alumni, former student-athletes, coaches, supporters, and fans to nominate worthy candidates for consideration.

Please follow the link to submit a nomination for the Parkside Hall of Fame Class of 2026 and submit nominations on or before June 30: https://parksiderangers.com/sb_output.aspx?form=104

Tuition for in-state students on Universities of Wisconsin campuses may increase again this fall.

The UW Board of Regents will vote Thursday on whether to raise tuition for in-state undergraduate students by 2% for the 2026-27 academic year.

Students at Wisconsin’s public universities will pay higher tuition for a fourth consecutive year.

The Universities of Wisconsin has increased tuition for in-state undergraduate students by 2% for next fall. The UW Board of Regents on Thursday approved the plan, which also authorized individual universities to raise tuition for other specific programs.

BAY CITY, Mich. – Parkside softball senior third baseman Mia Johnson has been named a recipient of the 2026 GLIAC Commissioner's Award, the league announced Wednesday.

The prestigious award is given to student-athletes who display excellence both on and off the playing field. Johnson, a sport management major, earns the honor for the second straight season after closing one of the most decorated careers in Parkside softball history.

KENOSHA, Wis. – Parkside Athletics and Director of Athletics Adam Schemm '08 are proud to announce that Leigh Barea has signed a multi-year contract extension to remain the leader of the Parkside volleyball program.

"Leigh has been a tremendous leader of our volleyball program during her time at Parkside," said Schemm. "She has built our program with true care and connection. I am excited to have her continue to lead our program for the long-haul and cannot wait to see where she takes it."

Employees at Wisconsin’s public universities will get a 2% increase in their wages starting this month, and thousands of faculty members in high-demand fields have received salary raises.

The pay bump for the eligible employees of the Universities of Wisconsin’s 39,000 faculty and staff, effective Sunday, is part of the state’s most recent budget deal, which granted $256 million in new funding to the UW system’s 13 schools. It follows a 3% raise in June 2025.

KENOSHA, Wis. – Parkside Director of Athletics Adam Schemm '08 has announced the hiring of James Halford as the next head track and field / cross country coach.

Halford has served as Parkside's assistant head track and field coach since 2023, helping the Rangers reach new heights in the GLIAC, Midwest Region and NCAA Division II landscape.

KENOSHA, Wis. – Parkside Athletics, in partnership with Victory Partner Vonco Products, will host the fifth annual walk benefiting the American Heart Association in conjunction with the Parkside Classic on Saturday, August 15.

The 3K run and 1-mile walk are open to participants of all ages and are free to register. Awards will be presented to the top three male and female finishers of the 3K. New this year, the first 100 registrants will receive a free T-shirt, courtesy of Vonco Products.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Parkside volleyball team has once again been recognized for its commitment to excellence in the classroom, earning the 2026 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award. The honor marks the Rangers' seventh consecutive season receiving recognition for exceptional academic performance.

The AVCA Team Academic Award is presented to volleyball programs that maintain a year-long team grade-point average of at least 3.30 on a 4.0 scale. Parkside's continued success reflects the program's dedication to achieving excellence both on the court and in the classroom.

Kenosha, Wis. – The Parkside men's basketball team will take the floor against the University of Wisconsin on Saturday, Oct. 10, when the Rangers travel to the Kohl Center in Madison for an exhibition matchup against the Badgers.

The contest will provide Parkside with an opportunity to compete against a Big Ten opponent while also marking a homecoming for Rangers head coach Kyle Blackbourn.

KENOSHA -- Those interested in enjoying fresh air, getting their steps in and helping others are in luck as they can be done at the same time this weekend.

Trevor-based Vonco Products will host a “Walk Where You Are” 3K Run/Walk to support the American Heart Association for the sixth consecutive year. This year the event comings with a slight change to the landscape.

SOMERS — The Universities of Wisconsin’s 2027-29 biennial budget request proposal includes new initiatives that would support workforce development and innovation at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

The $730 million operating budget request, which the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents approved Aug. 20, includes funding for new programs such as Accelerate Wisconsin and UW for U.

Employees at Wisconsin’s public universities will get a 2% increase in their wages starting this month, and thousands of faculty members in high-demand fields have received salary raises.

The pay bump for the eligible employees of the Universities of Wisconsin’s 39,000 faculty and staff, effective Sunday, is part of the state’s most recent budget deal, which granted $256 million in new funding to the UW system’s 13 schools. It follows a 3% raise in June 2025.

SOMERS -- Mother Nature failed to dampen the enthusiasm of a large crowd of participants in the sixth annual Vonco Products “Walk Where You Are” walk/run for heart health.

Even though the festivities, with all proceeds benefitting the American Heart Association, were moved inside to DeSimone Gymnasium at UW-Parkside, about 100 registered runners/walkers were on hand to get a little exercise, learn about heart health and raise some funds.