The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Alumni Association sponsored the 2nd annual Panther Prowl 5K run/walk on Sunday, Oct. 15.

The event was led by women’s basketball coach Sandy Botham and members of her team, along with alumnus Paul Melrood from the Class of 1941.

Participants ran or walked in a loop that began in the UWM campus area and went through Upper Lake Park, and back again.

The top fund raiser for the event was Liam Callanan, who raised $845. Oody Petty and Sonja P. Chojnacki were close behind, having raised $500 and $300, respectively.

The two largest teams for the 2006 Panther Prowl were The Run-Ons, with 41 members, and The Biohazards, with 29.

Chris Francis, sports anchor for WDJT-TV CBS 58, was the honorary master of ceremonies. Francis presented various awards to participants during the post-event celebration, which was held in Spaights Plaza.

Last year, 750 people participated in the event and the alumni association raised nearly $50,000 for student scholarships. About 500 people were registered to run this year as of Oct. 5, according to Andrea Simpson, alumni association director.

The association’s goal for the Panther Prowl is to raise money for scholarships in light of increasing tuition rates.

According to the UWM Department of Financial Aid, tuition for UWM during the 2005-2006 school year averaged $6,246. The projected average for this year is $6,860.

The association gives out a total of seven scholarships yearly. The Alumni Memorial Scholarship, a $2,000 grant, is annually given to five incoming freshmen who excelled in high school and who intend on becoming full-time UWM students.

The second award, the Outstanding Scholar Award, is given to two Wisconsin students every year. This scholarship pays for the recipient’s tuition in full. To qualify, a student must be enrolled in UWM for the semester following high school graduation and be in the top 5 percent of his or her high school class.

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