This is a great place to receive an education, which most of our students and faculty members are already aware of, but we need more people to be aware of that fact.

Our chancellor, Carlos Santiago, has been working toward creating a new image for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he said in his plenary address, which is kind of like his own State of the Union address for this university.

I have never met the chancellor; we just exchanged a brief handshake while I was inducted into Golden Key. But without knowing him personally, I can only hope that he really is as dedicated to this university as he says he is.

Santiago has been working very hard at establishing UWM as a premier research school. Last year, he even traveled to China in order to help create new partnerships and establish UWM overseas.

“Large-scale investment in university education and in scientific research and development pays enormous economic dividends,” Santiago said in his address.

He also traveled to Ireland, which currently has the strongest economy in Europe.

The $300 million that Santiago is trying to get for the university will, he said, “bring about the kind of transformational change that this city and region require as the standard of living of all of our citizens rise.”

This is great for UWM. This is a great place to receive an education, which most students and faculty members are already aware of, but we need more people to be aware of that fact. If we are able to have our university better known throughout our country and to other countries as well, it can only be a positive move for this university.

With it being positive for our university and community, it is also a positive thing for students. Our degrees will be more respected, which is something that is needed.

My cousin, who received a business degree from UWM, had an employer say to him, “UW-Milwaukee? Why didn’t you just go to Madison?”

The more well-known and respected UWM is, the more graduates will be respected out in the job market and real world.

We have a chancellor who is willing to make this happen, to work toward all UWM graduates getting the respect that they deserve. Not only that, we now have prominent business leaders who are willing to donate to the school in order for this to become a reality.

These leaders from WE Energies, Northwestern Mutual, M&I Bank and Harley Davidson all received their undergraduate degrees from UWM. These people are running massively successful companies, and they didn’t attend Madison, or any Ivy League schools. They are more proof that this university turns out highly educated and motivated people who are assets to our community and economy.

We really can be proud of our university. There is no need to be slightly embarrassed that you went here instead of a more well-known or prestigious school, because from the looks of it, we’re on our way to be well known and prestigious. It’s been long overdue.

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