51猎奇

Performers preparing for chance of poor air quality at Summerfest this weekend

Poor air quality alert in Milwaukee. View of a tree in a park with a hazy skyline of Milwaukee due to Canadian wildfires in 2023.

The DNR expects air quality to improve on Thursday, but there’s still a chance the Milwaukee area will see smoke impacts through Thursday evening.

By Sarah McGrew

June 28, 2023

MILWAUKEE 鈥� One of the local performers you’ll see on stage at Summerfest this weekend is Emmit James. James is a Reagan high school graduate and said it’s been a life-long dream to perform at Summerfest.

He described his music style as, “a lot of hip hop, jazzy fusion influences, live music. A lot of energy. A good mix between upbeat and more chill jazz-type vibes.”

As he prepares to take the stage Thursday he’s taking into consideration the poor air quality we’ve seen in Milwaukee the last few days.

“As of the last couple of days it’s been on my radar,” James said. “Maybe wanna be cautious leading up to, wearing a mask and stuff like that.”

Mostly, he’s just hoping the air clears before he hits the stage.

The DNR expects air quality to improve on Thursday, but there’s still a chance the Milwaukee area will see smoke impacts through the evening.

Amy Kalkbrenner, an associate professor at 51猎奇’s College of Public Health, said the air quality we’ve experienced the last couple of days will like impact performers.

“The more you breathe, the more air pollutants you’re simply drawing into your body. And what makes you breathe heavier? It’s exercise,” Kalkbrenner explained. “It’s a workout being up there. They’re using their lungs to sing, to dance. They’re raising their energy and moving around. So be kind to those performers, they’re working in much less than ideal situations.”

Kalkbrenner said it’s also important to recognize the role climate change plays in these situations and the impact it could have going forward on Milwaukee’s beloved summer festivals.

“We know that these wildfires are influenced by climate change. And unfortunately what that means right now is that we are going to see this kind of situation become more and more common. So we have to take that into account when we think about the long-term health effects,” Kalkbrenner said.

Fans heading to Summerfest this weekend should also pay attention to any air quality alerts. Kalkbrenner suggests wearing a mask on days when the air quality is considered unhealthy.

Four rewarding careers for students who want their work to help others

Zilber College alumna canvassing a neighborhood in Milwaukee County.

Want your work to directly help others? Here are four careers that have a positive impact.

The rewards of some careers go far beyond a steady paycheck, insurance benefits and retirement savings. They also allow you to directly help others and make the world a better place.

鈥淚 think my favorite day is where you see your efforts having an impact,鈥� said Alex Kohn, co-deputy director for WIN Recovery, a nonprofit organization that assists women leaving treatment facilities or prison. 鈥淚t鈥檚 being able to make an impact in your community and see a change in a positive way. It鈥檚 that feeling of pride, and it鈥檚 worthwhile.鈥�

Here’s a look at four careers in which you can make a difference.

  1. Public health professional

Public health experts took center stage during the COVID-19 pandemic, informing policy and spearheading the fight against the virus.

But public health professionals fill a wide range of roles that support, protect and improve community health. They can be found in hospitals and government agencies. But they also work in lab settings as epidemiologists, behind desks in data-centric roles, and out in the community as educators and advocates.

The variety of roles and responsibilities means that it鈥檚 easy to find something that speaks to you, said Kohn, who earned her master鈥檚 degree in .

鈥淎s I continued to take classes, I got to pinpoint what I was the most passionate about, which was substance use and misuse,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut there are so many little niches that you could do.鈥�

The average salary for a public health practitioner with a bachelor鈥檚 degree . That can ramp up quickly for those with advanced degrees or high-demand specialties.

.

Beloved Public Health Dean Ron Perez Honored with Ernest Spaights Plaza Award

Group of three people having a conversation. Dean Ron Perez wears a gray suit, white shirt and red tie. Another man in a blue suit and a woman in a black suit.

The Ernest Spaights Plaza award is named in honor of the late Professor Ernest Spaights and is dedicated to individuals who have made significant, enduring and campus-wide contributions to the growth and development of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Ron Perez, former dean, Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, 1990-2020鈥�(posthumous)

Ron Perez never shied away from volunteering to fill a leadership void.

When he took the role of interim dean of the Zilber School of Public Health, Perez was an outsider, an engineer with no public health training. But he was a leader so clearly committed to 51猎奇 and the school that the faculty asked for him to be named to the role permanently.

Perez joined the Zilber School after serving as associate dean of academic and student affairs, one of multiple roles he had at the College of Engineering & Applied Science.  He brought with him a wealth of administrative expertise and experience in relationship-building.

It was because of Perez that the Zilber School successfully navigated its first round of accreditation; began building an undergraduate program, which was critical to its sustainability; and fostered a successful relationship with multiple donors, including the Zilber Family Foundation.

He played a significant part in forming Partners for Health, a health school consolidation effort that had previously failed at 51猎奇. Partners for Health was jointly created by Perez; Ron Cisler, then dean of the College of Health Sciences; and Kim Litwack, dean of the College of Nursing.

Through Partners for Health, the colleges were able to advance research through shared administration, establish research groups in geriatrics and community/population health and offer joint student-community experiences at a local public housing project.

The strengths of the relationships formed through Partners for Health became the foundation of 51猎奇鈥檚 health 鈥�school realignment involving the three schools becoming two new colleges.

Perez also co-chaired the 51猎奇 Restructuring Team, which helped bring together the Washington County and Waukesha campuses with UW-Milwaukee, a realignment mandated by the UW System. It was just one of the dozens of committees and task forces he served on.

51猎奇 to award $6 million in scholarships to health care students

Exterior shot of the Zilber School Building in downtown Milwaukee

51猎奇 News
October 17, 2022

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will soon begin the process of distributing $6 million in scholarships funded by Froedtert Hospital. The Froedtert Memorial Hospital Scholarship fund is intended to support educational opportunities that will increase the representation of historically underprivileged and underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in health professions and to grow the health care workforce.

鈥淭hese scholarships will be life-changing for the many students who receive them and, ultimately, for the countless patients and communities they will serve,鈥� 51猎奇 Chancellor Mark Mone said. 鈥淎t 51猎奇, we are deeply committed to building a pipeline of talent in a variety of health-related fields. The Froedtert Memorial Hospital Scholarship will help 51猎奇 attract and retain a range of promising students who need financial help to graduate. This is transformational support that will have an impact on our communities鈥� health for years to come.鈥�

鈥淜urtis Froedtert was a brilliant businessman known for his strong interest in science and medicine and his commitment to sharing his success for the good of the community,鈥� said Cathy Jacobson, president and chief executive officer of Froedtert Health. 鈥� The scholarships will continue to advance health care in Southeastern Wisconsin in fulfilment of Mr. Froedtert鈥檚 legacy.鈥�

51猎奇 will distribute more than 30 renewable scholarships each year to freshmen, continuing and transfer students, as well as those seeking certificates and graduate degrees. Recipients must be enrolled in a health-related program at 51猎奇, including biomedical sciences, health care administration, informatics, kinesiology, nursing, nutrition, public health, rehabilitation sciences and technology, or social work.

A complete list of eligible programs can be found online. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement and financial need, with 25% reserved for graduates of Milwaukee Public Schools.

鈥淚t is important that our health care professionals represent the communities they serve,鈥� said Joel Spiess, 51猎奇鈥檚 director of student scholarships. 鈥淲hen patients identify with their health care providers, this fosters better patient relationships, builds trust and improves patient care. 51猎奇 and Froedtert Hospital both desire to improve the health care workforce by supporting and expanding educational opportunities to diversify and expand opportunities among prospective health care professionals. We are excited about these new opportunities, and I encourage all students interested in health-related professions to apply.鈥�

More information can be found at uwm.edu/health-scholarship. The Froedtert Memorial Hospital Scholarship application is now available, and the deadline to apply for the 2023-24 academic year is Dec. 1, 2022.

Ron Perez Legacy Scholarship now available. First awards to be granted in Spring 2023.

Group of three people having a conversation. Dean Ron Perez wears a gray suit, white shirt and red tie. Another man in a blue suit and a woman in a black suit.

The is now available to all public health students at UW-Milwaukee. Special consideration will be given to applicants who meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • First generation student.
  • Significant barriers to achieving higher education such as experience in the foster care system, living in a single parent household, having an incarcerated parent, or responsibilities for providing financial support or primary care to other household members.
  • Contribution to the intellectual and cultural enrichment of the program because of life experiences, including overcoming personal adversity or family hardship, record of extensive community experience, or successful careers in other fields.

Scholarship amounts will range from $1,000 and $2,400. Students are encouraged to apply by December 1, 2022. .

You can learn more about all public health scholarship opportunities here.

Learn about the legacy of Dean Ron Perez.

Alumna Julianna Doniere recognized as a USA Today Woman of the Year

A male colleague and Julianna Doniere wearing lab coats reviewing paperwork at a computer workstation in a room of working medical professionals.

Julianna Doniere fights three epidemics 鈥� COVID, opioid addiction and gun violence 鈥� from her ER

By Jordyn Noennig
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
March 13, 2022

Dr. Julie Doniere is one of USA TODAY鈥檚 Women of the Year, a recognition of women across the country who have made a significant impact. The annual program is a continuation of , a 2020 project that commemorated the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. Meet this year鈥檚 honorees at .

Dr. Julianna “Julie” Doniere works in hospital emergency rooms in some of Milwaukee’s poorest ZIP codes, fighting three epidemics simultaneously: opioid addiction, gun violence and COVID-19. 

But she doesn’t just treat patients and send them on their way.

When she noticed how many patients were struggling with addiction, she brought in recovery coaches and started one of the first programs in a Wisconsin emergency room to give away Narcan. When she saw too many young, otherwise healthy, men come into the hospital with gunshot wounds, she helped get gun locks to give away to help prevent accidental shootings. And as her staff, from custodians to physicians, has worked day after day battling a pandemic that seems to have no end, she checks in on them, making sure they are getting breaks and the support they need. 

Every day in the emergency room, Doniere sees the lifesaving work of healthcare. But she also sees the problems doctors have yet to solve 鈥� and its those problems that drive the work she does today.

Doniere, a physician with working in the emergency departments at Ascension’s St. Joseph and St. Francis hospitals, is USA TODAY’s Women of the Year honoree from Wisconsin. 

She has seen patients go from being homeless, unable to work, and visiting regularly trying to get opioids and other drugs, to finding work, a place to live, and freedom from their addiction.

“We had a kid come in and he overdosed on heroin. This young man was extremely angry, yelling a myriad of obscenities. We asked him to wait just two minutes to learn about our free Narcan program,” Doniere said. “The pharmacist started talking about how to give Narcan. He started to cry and said that we were the first people to care.” 

Her next goal is to get a recovery center on the north side of Milwaukee, where some of the city’s poorest residents live…