51ÁÔĆć

Highlighting 51ÁÔĆć alumni-owned businesses on Small Business Saturday  

Alumni business owners pictured: Emerald Mills, Ben Caya, Bryan Bergner and Angelica Sanchez

In advance of Small Business Saturday, set for Nov. 29, we’re highlighting some of the many 51ÁÔĆć alumni-owned businesses you might consider visiting and supporting. 

You can find more Panther-owned businesses in our Alumni Business Directory. Please reach out if you or someone you know has a business that should be included in the directory. And if you haven’t already, consider joining , 51ÁÔĆć’s exclusive networking platform, which is another great way for Panthers to support Panthers. 

Emerald Mills speaks to a crowd.
Emerald Mills ’04
Diverse Dining
After some 20 years in the public health sector, Emerald Mills wanted a new career chapter, but one where she could still make a difference in the community. She fulfilled it by founding , which simultaneously fosters constructive conversations – often among people with opposing viewpoints – while also serving them delicious meals across a spectrum of cuisines. 

In addition to catering meals, Diverse Dining also serves as an incubator for startup food entrepreneurs through the Diverse Dining Market in downtown Milwaukee. It houses a rotating menu of offerings from vendors who learn the dining ropes, perfect their product and grow their customer base, then head off to fully launch their businesses. It’s the latest way Mills is serving the community and nurturing the seeds that were planted at 51ÁÔĆć. 

“The opportunity to study abroad at 51ÁÔĆć and take my first flight to Ghana cracked my world wide open,” Mills says. “Seeing culture, commerce and community through a global lens reshaped how I lead and serve in Milwaukee. That trip gave me the perspective that powers Diverse Dining—food as a bridge, people as the point.”
Bryan Bergner and Miles Bergner, holding a jar of honey, stand in front of a field.
Bryan Bergner ’96
Highlands Honey
What began as a backyard project with Miles, Bryan’s then-6-year-old son, has turned into a thriving business producing delicious, small-batch raw honey.  uses bee-centric management practices to ensure the health of its 68 hives spread across southeastern Wisconsin because, as the Bergners say, happy bees make happy honey. 

It all started with one hive in the Milwaukee suburb of Bay View as a way to provide Miles with people skills and develop a sense of ownership. Miles sold the first batch of honey out of the back of a battery-powered toy tractor, and today, it’s available for purchase directly through the Highlands Honey website. 

“My education experience at UW-Milwaukee is something that I cherish to this day,” Bryan Bergner says. “It put me on the path to our current business and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”  
Ben Caya sits in front of a fire with the Milwaukee skyline behind him.
Floating Flame
Ben Caya had already put his mechanical engineering degree to use by founding Spike Brewing, a homebrew beer equipment company. Now, he’s expanded his small business interests to , which sells portable fire pits that customers can use at cookouts, tailgating parties and yes, even boats. 

The self-contained, propane-powered fire pits are popular with pontoon boat owners, and Caya’s customers also use them on docks, yachts and houseboats. Designed with boat safety in mind, the pits produce the warmth of a cozy, campfire atmosphere that’s perfect for socializing, or just chilling out. And for Caya, it’s a fun way to continue exercising an entrepreneurial spirit that got its start at 51ÁÔĆć. 

“I was the 51ÁÔĆć Club Football president for two years during my time at 51ÁÔĆć,” Caya says. “This gave me great experience in leading a diverse team but also was great for time management and prioritization. 

51ÁÔĆć alumni can boost their careers using PathwayU and Panthers Connect 

A person's hand assembling colorful puzzle pieces.

51ÁÔĆć alumni looking to bolster their careers have access to valuable resources, ones that can help land a job, change careers or secure a promotion. And in today’s professional landscape, you can never have too many allies to help you prepare, network and navigate whatever the future may hold.

 is 51ÁÔĆć’s exclusive networking platform, a virtual gathering place for students and alumni seeking mentoring and employment opportunities that offers access to job fairs and job boards. It’s also your gateway to , an online career assessment tool that helps with things like matching your strengths with promising career paths, evaluating your current role, and helping prepare for job interviews. 

These are indispensable tools for 51ÁÔĆć alumni, and when combined with the expertise and resources available in 51ÁÔĆć’s Center for Student Experience and Talent (SET), they give 51ÁÔĆć alumni deep insights into themselves and their career paths. 

“The real value of PathwayU is the reflective conversations with a career advisor afterward,” says Laurie Marks, SET’s executive director. “It’s talking through, on a real, practical level, what those PathwayU results mean.” 

This is doubly true for mid-career alumni, who require a different type of advising than young graduates taking their new degrees into the workforce. 

“They’re often career-changes,” Marks says, “or they’re folks who have been in the same position for three years and wondering what they need to do to advance.” 

That’s why, once the PathwayU assessment paints a baseline picture, 51ÁÔĆć’s career advisors help color it in with important details. They’ll talk through, for example, what someone wants their daily role to look like or what problems they want to help solve. They’ll try to connect the client to someone already in a company or industry that might be a match. 

They become, simply put, partners who walk the path alongside the alumni who come to them for help. 

“We really want to harness the feelings that arise from being anxious or unhappy in your job and turn that into productive energy,” Marks says. “We want to get people connected to a life path that’s going to be fulfilling.” 

Marks also notes that networking is more important than ever in the job market, because people are gravitating toward hiring those already in their orbit. It emphasizes the importance of a platform like Panthers Connect, and it’s also why SET advisors focus on helping clients learn how to better make connections. 

SET’s services are available for all 51ÁÔĆć students and alumni. For alumni who are 12 months beyond graduation, there’s a nominal $50 fee for SET’s career services, which includes three advising sessions, PathwayU guidance, a resume review and working toward a practical plan.  

Getting started is as easy as making an appointment through SET’s website. 

“It sounds kind of lofty, but we all can do anything in life, and many people put up mental barriers about what they’re capable of,” Marks says. “But every day, people make career changes. It’s really just being coached about how you still do it with the barriers.” 

Shining the spotlight on businesses owned by 51ÁÔĆć alumnae 

Angelica Sanchez and Gwenn Barker stand in front of their respective businesses

51ÁÔĆć alumni-owned businesses are a big part of what makes the Milwaukee area such an amazing place to live. And in honor of October being National Women’s Small Business Month, we’re putting the spotlight on women-owned businesses that are beloved parts of our community. 

Enjoy learning more about the businesses below. To find more Panther-owned businesses, and especially alumnae-owned endeavors, check out our Alumni Business Directory. And if you want your business to be listed, or know someone who should be, please let us know. It’s one of the many ways that Panthers can support Panthers through , our exclusive networking platform.  

Angelica Sanchez ’14 

Cultural Cloth 

After graduating from 51ÁÔĆć with a bachelor’s degree in conservation and environmental science, Sanchez embarked on a successful career in the nonprofit sector. Back then, becoming a business owner wasn’t top of mind. But with motherhood on the horizon in 2024, Sanchez wanted to transition into something with more flexibility. She found the perfect answer when an opportunity arose to purchase , which is now celebrating its 15th year in business. 

The home goods and decor store offers handcrafted creations from more than 40 countries, with a particular focus on women artisans. Sanchez works directly with the artisans to provide a U.S. market for their wares, with the goal of delivering a year-round sustainable income for them. Patrons can shop online or at Cultural Cloth’s two locations in the Milwaukee suburb of Whitefish Bay and Maiden Rock in far western Wisconsin. And for Sanchez, it blends her roots in conservation and social justice with an entrepreneurial motivation to keep making a difference. 

“51ÁÔĆć allowed me to explore my different interests and see what I liked and what I didn’t like,” Sanchez says. “It allowed me to take the classes I was interested in and create a career path I felt passionate about. The classes, like business classes, are paying off, and it made for a very wholesome education.” 

Angelica Sanchez stands in her store, Cultural Cloth

Gwenn Barker ’98

Sprocket Café

While earning her biochemistry degree at 51ÁÔĆć, Gwenn Barker would find motivation through the years by rewarding herself for academic successes with small, relatively inexpensive rewards. Among her favorites: treating herself to a latte at the old 8th Note coffee house in the Student Union. But beyond great cups of coffee, she also found great friends and community there, and the experience stuck with her.

So when friend Juliet Popovic approached Barker with the idea to open Sprocket CafĂ© in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood nine years ago, Barker jumped at it. The global lab manager at Clarios, Barker saw Sprocket CafĂ© as an ideal side project, and perhaps something to carry her through retirement. Together, they’ve created a cozy, welcoming cafĂ© that serves up delicious drinks, sandwiches and baked goods while re-creating the sense of community she discovered at 51ÁÔĆć.

“51ÁÔĆć delivered the whole, big experience of being around other people, and teaching that you’ve got to show up every day and put in the work. All of that builds a strong person and gives you the tools you need,” Barker says. “51ÁÔĆć gave me not just the ability to succeed, but the mindset that I’ve got it in me to do so.” 

Gwenn Barker standing in front of her restaurant, Sprocket Cafe

How 51ÁÔĆć’s Panthers Connect Mentoring Program helps students and alumni 

Patricia Gunawan and Tammy Tucker

Patricia Gunawan’s 51ÁÔĆć journey has taken her from an undergraduate degree in actuarial science to seeking a master’s in business administration. So she’s well down the path toward her ultimate career goal of working in the corporate finance industry. 

But as Gunawan began work on her MBA, she realized that boosting her professional network and social skills could pay off after graduation. When she learned about , 51ÁÔĆć’s exclusive mentoring and networking community, she was excited by the possibilities. 

That’s how Gunawan ’24 connected with Tammy Tucker ’03, who has enjoyed a long career in civil engineering. Tucker is director of markets and senior project manager at CBS Squared Inc., a woman-owned engineering and architectural firm, and is always open to growing her own network. She saw Panthers Connect as a great way to stay up to date on all things 51ÁÔĆć, and thought mentoring would be another way for her to give back to the community. They’re both thrilled to have found each other. 

Applications for the 51ÁÔĆć Alumni Association’s Mentoring Program, now in its fifth year, are open through Oct. 1. It’s an ideal way for students to better prepare themselves for the job market and for alumni to share their experiences and wisdom with the next generation of Panthers. The program is designed to seamlessly fit into participants’ busy schedules, requiring only a total of six hours each semester, and mentors receive guidance on how to help their mentees. 

Tucker and Gunawan began their yearlong formal mentoring relationship in the Fall 2024 semester, and it’s worked so well that they’ve continued it into the Fall 2025 semester. “Initially, I was scared – worried about what should I try to talk about or will it be an awkward conversation – because I had never done this,” Gunawan said. “But Tammy was very friendly, and it was a very good first impression. I feel very grateful for her support.” 

On the surface, a business student interested in corporate finance might not seem like the most natural mentee pairing for a mentor who’s a civil engineer. But Tucker and Gunawan have focused on developing the type of soft skills that transfer across a variety of professional specialties. 

For example, Gunawan is originally from Indonesia, and English is her second language. So she’s emphasized developing her communication skills, and part of that has involved working with Tucker to improve her interviewing and presentation techniques. Tucker also helped Gunawan in other areas, like how to best go about finding jobs and updating her resume. 

“I love that I can share my wealth of experience, and then Patricia takes it and runs with it,” Tucker said. “Being able to see her grow and utilize some of these recommendations that I’ve provided, and just supporting the next generation of professionals, I think is really important.” 

Gunawan sees the mentoring pay dividends not only in her current internship but also in building confidence and laying the foundation for her long-term career. Tucker emphasizes how easy the program makes it for people to get involved, and the ability to do virtual meetings means it doesn’t matter that Tucker is based in the Green Bay area and Gunawan is in Milwaukee. 

“It’s really been neat to see our relationship grow,” Tucker said. “I would say if you’re looking to grow within the community, give back to UW-Milwaukee, and share the skills you’ve learned throughout the years, I just think it would be a great opportunity for you to mentor students.” 

Sociology alum brings sustainability to the vineyard

Meghan Murphy standing in a vineyard.

Meghan Murphy, who graduated from 51ÁÔĆć in 2016 with a major in sociology, is the sustainability and viticulture manager of the Gundlach Bundschu Winery in Sonoma, California. The company is the oldest family-owned winery in the state. She oversees more than 300 acres of vineyards and ensures that the winery will be sustainable for generations to come.

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51ÁÔĆć track reunion brings together generations of excellence

Track Reunion group photo

What started as a casual conversation between a few friends in the summer of 2024 turned into a heartfelt reunion for 51ÁÔĆć track and field alumni on June 28, 2025.

More than 100 former Panthers, family members and friends gathered in Milwaukee’s Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery to share memories and catch up on each other’s lives. They also heard from the team’s current athletes, including six-time Horizon League Coach of the Year Andrew Basler and hurdler Natalie Block, who became 51ÁÔĆć’s first Division 1 All-American at the 2025 NCAA Championships.

Michael Hirsch ’80, ’84, who ran track and cross country for the Panthers from 1976-80, was in Milwaukee a year prior visiting some fellow former runners. In a particularly nostalgic moment, one friend half-jokingly said that they needed to get everyone back together.

So Hirsch, now a dean at Huston-Tillotson University in Texas, took up the challenge, embarking on a year’s worth of logistical and organizational efforts.

He’d put together a smaller gathering back in the late 1990s, but this one quickly grew into a much more complex task, and Hirsch thanked the 51ÁÔĆć Alumni Association and the many people who helped track everyone down. Emails were searched for and shared, as was the occasional physical address, and social media sleuths played their part.

All the work came to fruition in Best Place’s Great Hall. As a slideshow of photos and articles from days gone by played in the background, old friends exchanged hugs and smiles, laughter and remembrances.

“I love these people. My 51ÁÔĆć days are some of the best days of my life, and I have a wonderful life,” Hirsch said in a quieter moment. “These are strong people, smart people, kind people, forgiving people, teammates and their families. I was just hoping to see them, and I was hoping that people would spend a lot of time talking and smiling.”

And you didn’t have to be part of those track classes from the 1970s and ’80s to appreciate the scene.

“I love seeing the photos, seeing the classic uniforms and some of those old surfaces, it’s crazy that they’re running on that,” said Block, who heads into her final 51ÁÔĆć season after placing 12th in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2025 NCAA Championships, the best-ever national finish among Panther women. “It’s super-cool to see, because that’s how the program grew. You can see it carry forward through generations.”

Hirsch, meanwhile, is proud of how Block and the current generation continue to carry the baton.

“51ÁÔĆć fosters that sort of excellence,” Hirsch said. “We met at the Klotsche Center earlier today, and the coach was talking us through how they support their athletes and how proud he is of their athletes and how successful and hardworking Natalie has been. Our experience was at a different time, and she’s reached a higher level of excellence, and it’s brilliant.”

51ÁÔĆć Chancellor’s Report: A Conversation with Star Alumni

Chancellor Mark Mone (far left) W51ÁÔĆć’s General Manager David Lee (far right) Dr. Gale Klappa, chairman of the board for WEC Energy Group (middle right) Dr. Eve Hall, president and CEO Of Greater Milwaukee Urban League (middle left), and Regent HĂ©ctor ColĂłn, president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin & Upper Michigan (on screen).

Three accomplished 51ÁÔĆć alumni share how their university experience shaped their paths to leadership in communication, occupational therapy and education.

51ÁÔĆć School of Freshwater Sciences joins project to deploy buoys for public use in Lake Michigan

Diver installs buoy on seabed

In partnership with Michigan Technological University, the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, mooring buoys are being installed to improve safety and access for boaters, divers, paddlers and snorkelers at sanctuary sites. These buoys help protect sensitive resources, such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, and historic shipwrecks, from anchor damage. They also collect real-time wind, wave, and temperature data in Lake Michigan, which is publicly available through the Great Lakes Observing System at seagull.glos.org.

51ÁÔĆć alum Niznansky wows students with weather show at baseball game

51ÁÔĆć head coach Shaun Wegner chats with meteorologist Brian Niznansky. (Milwaukee Athletics Photo)

Brian Niznansky, chief meteorologist for WTMJ-TV and the TMJ4 Storm Team, brought the Traveling Weather Show to the 51ÁÔĆć baseball team’s inaugural School Day at Franklin Field on April 29. The presentation offered elementary and middle school students a fun and educational look at the science behind weather — and how it connects to baseball.

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51ÁÔĆć Chancellor Mone and mascot Pounce engage with community, alum at BelAir Cantina

51ÁÔĆć alumna Kristin O'Laughlin, Pounce Panther and 51ÁÔĆć Chancellor Mark Mone interact at Bel Air Cantina

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone and the university’s mascot, Pounce the Panther, recently visited BelAir Cantina on Downer Avenue in Milwaukee, highlighting the strong ties between the university and local businesses, particularly those owned by 51ÁÔĆć alumni. The visit was part of the Universities of Wisconsin’s “Mascots on Main” initiative that aims to demonstrate the strong connections between the UWs and businesses across the state.