Here at UW-Milwaukee, there have been a large number of notable alumni that have graduated from here. Find out about some of the most notable ones and why we’re proud to be fellow Panthers besides them!
1. Golda Meir – One of UWM’s most notable alumni, Golda Meir was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1969, the country’s first and only female to do so.
2. Satya Nadella– Born in India, Satya Nadella traveled to the U.S to attend UWM to attain a Master of Science in Computer Science, graduating in 1990. Becoming a pioneer in ‘Cloud’ technology, Nadella became the CEO of Microsoft in 2014.
3. Andy Hurley- After double-majoring in Anthropology and History at UWM, Andy Hurley played in numerous local Milwaukee bands before becoming the drummer for Fall Out Boy in 2003. Though since moving out of Milwaukee, Hurley still proclaims his love for the city and was even featured on an episode of MTV Cribs for his Milwaukee home.
4. Nick Viall- With strong roots at UWM being captain of the track team and even an alumni of the UWM Post, Nick Viall entered his 4-time Bachelor stardom on ABC after graduating in 2004.
5. Luis E Arreaga- With a master’s degree in management and a PhD in economics from UWM, Arreaga became the United States Ambassador to Iceland in 2010 and was recently appointed under President Trump to become the United States Ambassador to Guatemala.
6. Alberto Fujimori- Alberto Fujimori served as the 62nd President of Peru after obtaining a degree in mathematics from UWM in 1969.
7. James Ziemer-After graduating from UWM with a bachelor’s in Business Administration and an executive MBA, James Ziemer became the president and CEO of Harley- Davison, Inc. In 2005. Soon after, Ziemer was appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations by George W. Bush in 2007.
8. Guy Hoffman- Growing up in Milwaukee, Guy Hoffman studied watercolor painting and drawing at UWM, whilst becoming a prominent figure in Milwaukee’s punk rock scene at the time. Hoffman later became a founding member of the band Violent Femmes in 1993, releasing hit song “Blister in the Sun.”
9. Frank Caliendo- After graduating from UWM, Frank Caliendo moved on to become a hit comedian and impressionist, performing on platforms such as MADtv, Fox NFL Sunday, and his own show, Frank TV.
10. Jim Rygiel- With a bachelor of Fine Arts from UWM, Jim Rygiel went on to become a Visual Effects Supervisor and 3-time Academy Award winner for films such as The Lord of the Rings and Godzilla.
11. Bill Carollo- After becoming the starting quarterback for UWM’s football team in 1970, Bill Carollo has since worked as an officiator for the NFL, including two Super Bowls, the Milwaukee Brewers Official Scorer, the Rose Bowl, and is currently Director of Officiating for the Big Ten.
12. Willem Dafoe- Studying Drama at UWM, Willem Dafoe went on to become a notable American actor with appearances in films such as American Psycho, Spider-man Trilogy, and Finding Nemo.
13. Jack Kilby- Earning a Master of Science from UWM in 1950, Jack Kilby became a notable electrical engineer and Nobel Prize winner in physics, and became a Co-inventor of numerous technologies including the first handheld calculator.
14. Herschel Burke Gilbert- Attending what is now UWM, Herschel Bukrke Gilbert graduated from Milwaukee State Teachers college to become an orchestrator and composer for film and television, with famous works including Adventures of Superman, Leave it to Beaver, and Giligan’s Island.
15. Allison Pottinger- Earning an MBA in Marketing from UWM, Allison Pottinger became a notable Olympic curler for Team USA.
16. Gale E. Klappa- Graduating from UWM with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication, Gale E. Klappa became the CEO of WE Energy.
17. Milton Coleman- After graduating from UWM, Milton Coleman became the Senior Editor of the Washington post in 1996.
18. Denis Kitchen-Denis Kitchen began his roots in cartoon art with the UWM Post in the 60’s, Denis Kitchen became a notable American cartoonist, publishing numerous books.
19. Scott Yanoff- A pioneer in the early works of the internet, Scott Yanoff created one of the first internet search engines, The Yanoff List, after beginning his IT career at UWM.
20. Bruce Weber- Milwaukee-native and UWM graduate Bruce Weber became the head men’s basketball coach at Kansas State University, and has led his teams to 11 NCAA Tournaments