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The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Waukesha County Technical College are expanding access to affordable higher education in Waukesha County with the opening of the 51���� University Center at WCTC. The center’s opening was celebrated during a ribbon-cutting event on June 20. 

Starting this fall, students will be able to take 51���� courses in social work, information science and technology, and business either online or at WCTC.

Full story.

By Alissa Mathison

A suicide prevention microcredential course at 51���� is helping undergraduate social work students develop a specific set of skills to assess and screen those at risk of dying by suicide.

Social work professors Lisa Berger and Colleen Galambos developed the microcredential to fill the gap in suicide prevention education for social workers.

Social workers serve a variety of clients, including children, families and older adults – often as frontline mental health providers. During the intake process, they may be the first professionals trained to recognize suicide warning signs and provide intervention for an individual. Few social work programs offer courses dedicated to suicide prevention, though the topic might garner minimal coverage in clinical practice courses or textbook sections on death and dying.

In 2022, more than 49,000 people died by suicide in the United States, according to the . Considering age, race and ethnicity, as well as other variables, certain groups have .

Among age groups, older adults are the most at-risk group. Grief, loss of role, ageism and social isolation are contributing factors. Galambos paints a picture of how these multiple losses compound to put an older adult at risk.

“We’re concerned about the social isolation factor,” Galambos said. “The older adult who is retired, doesn’t engage socially – and no one is looking in on them to determine if they’re at risk or not,” she added.

Coursework at 51���� developed by Berger and Galambos specifically addresses how social workers can intervene. “There’s an epidemic of suicide. Many state licensing boards are now requiring students receive continuing education training in suicide prevention,” Galambos said.

Suicide prevention across all ages

Generally, a microcredential includes six to nine credits of intensive coursework in a particular area, providing students with in-depth knowledge that complements their area of study.

Suicide Across the Lifespan blends knowledge from the Social Work Department’s expertise in youth, children and families and older adults with suicide risk training. Students learn how to screen for different suicide risk factors depending on the age group of their client. The lifespan approach gives students options to work with families, students, youth or older adults.

Recognizing through a literature review that few programs offered a course in suicide prevention, Berger and Galambos spent two years creating the curriculum. A combination of research and collaboration with faculty, input from the emphasizing programming to address depression and suicide, and the expertise of Loyola University at Chicago Professor Jonathan Singer, all contributed to the microcredential.

Singer’s training, Foundational Knowledge and Skills in Suicide Prevention and Intervention, was the most highly attended professional development course to date for the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, Berger said. According to the Zoom log, 375 people logged into the training. Due to notable interest in the topic, facilitators added a 30-minute open discussion period after the training for participants to connect with each other regarding the needs and resources on suicide in their local communities.

Serving local communities

In the Fall 2024 semester, eight social work students completed the microcredential. Given that most students from the social work program work in the Milwaukee area after graduation, Berger underscores the potential this education has to help the local community. “Lisa and I are committed to continuing the work because it’s so compelling,” Galambos added.

Suicide Prevention Across the Lifespan is available to undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Science in Social Work program. Students outside of the social work program would need nine credits to finish it, and anyone can register as a special student and take the required courses.

By Alissa Mathison

A film co-produced by Melinda S. Kavanaugh, professor of social work at 51����, will screen at the .

was created to help children around the world understand ALS in an easily accessible way. The story follows the lovable robot LUKi as his mobility declines and he lives with an ALS diagnosis.

Set in the colorful and bucolic environs of the Netherlands, replete with tulips and a windmill, the animated short film begins with a heartwarming scene of LUKi enjoying his day-to-day life of work and hobbies. Slowly, his functioning and mobility wane and an ALS diagnosis alters his life. He expresses anger, sadness and gradually relies on his friends for caregiving.

Without using language – or humans – the film conveys the emotional and disruptive experience of going through a medical diagnosis. As lightbulbs flicker and LUKi’s bright eyes fade, the letters ALS appear on screen.

“There’s no language – we did that on purpose so that kids around the world would be able to connect with and understand the story,” Kavanaugh said.

Global connection leads to film

Kavanaugh is one of the few researchers in the world who focuses on children in families living with and providing care for neurological disorders. Her young adult graphic novel about ALS and other motor neuron diseases has been translated into 13 languages.

Sascha Groen and Anjo Snijders, both teachers in the Netherlands, created the story of LUKi to help explain ALS to their children after Anjo was diagnosed with the disease. They were familiar with Kavanaugh’s graphic novel, which had recently been translated into Dutch. They reached out about bringing their concept to life.

“At the time, I was the only person at the global level conducting research and building programs for children and youth in ALS or motor neuron diseases,” Kavanaugh said. Groen explained her idea about a robot and their dream to work with a Hollywood animation studio.

California-based studio built out the storyline in the context of animation with Kavanaugh, Groen and Snijders involved every step of the way. The and the nonprofit funded the project.

The film seamlessly integrates LUKi’s story arc with information about ALS. Kavanaugh explains that they wanted to show ALS progressing and eventually affecting LUKi’s whole body. Kavanaugh worked alongside  Groen, Snijders and Big Grin Productions to ensure a realistic portrayal of the disease in the film. Defining moments of the film include LUKi using a respirator and needing help bathing.

“The other thing that we really wanted to show was caregiving. Showing progression and being honest with the disease,” Kavanaugh said.

Snijders died of ALS last year, but he got to see the film before he passed.

The film, as well as a LUKi coloring book and materials for families and organizations, are available on .

International reception

Luki & the Lights has appeared at across the world and was shortlisted for an Oscar in December 2024. Winning Best Animation US Short Film at the New York Animation Film Awards pushed the film into Oscar territory, Kavanaugh said.

The film’s awards include Best Family Film at San Jose International Short Film Festival, Fonderie Horne Youth Prize at Festival de Cinéma International en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Best Short Film for Animation at UK Film Studios, and the Will Vinton Animation Award at the 2024 Portland Film Festival, among others. It was also featured at Superfest Disability Film Festival, the longest-running disability film festival in the world.

Screenings at the Milwaukee Film Festival

See during at the Milwaukee Film Festival.

Tuesday, Apr 29 | 7:15 p.m. | Downer Theatre (South Cinema)
Friday, May 2 | 12:45 p.m. | Downer Theatre (South Cinema)
Monday, May 5 | 4:15 p.m. | Downer Theatre (North Cinema)

The movie .

The UWinteriM course Spanish for Social Workers immerses students in the language and culture of Central America, preparing them to work with a Spanish-speaking client base in Wisconsin.

Developed in 2009, the course was created in consultation with the California chapter of the (NASW). Students acquire a functional knowledge of Spanish through 56 hours of instruction (three hours a day). Local site visits relevant to social work practice provide students with the opportunity to examine social welfare issues through a cross-cultural lens.

We asked Social Work Clinical Assistant Professor Dana Riesterer about the study abroad experience in Costa Rica. Learn more about studying in Costa Rica during UWinteriM 2026.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Why go to Costa Rica?

Studying abroad in Costa Rica offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a culture deeply rooted in the “Pura Vida” way of life which is centered on gratitude, community, and environmental stewardship. Through immersive language practice, site visits, and lectures on topics like social justice and human rights, students get a deeper understanding of Costa Rican culture and build the skills to connect with and engage diverse communities in a meaningful way. This trip expands students’ worldviews in ways that textbooks simply cannot — it challenges, inspires, and empowers them to step into the world as a global citizen and future change maker.

Can students from majors other than social work participate in the program?

Yes! We often have students from a variety of majors: social work, criminal justice and criminology, psychology, education, sociology, and public health, among others. 

When did the Costa Rica trip start at HBSSW?

The program has been operating through HBSSW since 2009 with a couple year break for the recent pandemic (2021 and 2022). For the first five years, the group went during the summer and for the past eight trips, they have been during winter break (UWinteriM). Since 2009, 123 students have attended this program — including myself as a graduate student in 2010!

This trip expands students’ worldviews in ways that textbooks simply cannot — it challenges, inspires, and empowers them to step into the world as a global citizen and future change maker.

Could you describe more about why you visited Musade, the Kayrós Foundation and the senior day center?

The visits to these organizations within Costa Rica provides students an opportunity to observe different models of social services in action, focusing on marginalized groups such as women, people dealing with drug addiction, and seniors. These agencies allow students to reflect on the diversity of social services available in Costa Rica and their impact on local communities. The models, ranging from grassroots women’s empowerment to holistic addiction recovery programs and senior care services, offer valuable lessons on inclusion, dignity, and social justice.

• defines itself as a grassroots women’s organization.
• has 23 years of experience in providing care to people who struggle with drug addiction.
• (Asociación de Atención de la Tercera Edad de Grecia) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1994. The senior day center is dedicated to supporting older adults by promoting their overall well-being.

Social Work Professor Melinda S. Kavanaugh‘s project: YCare: Supporting Young Caregivers in ALS Families, received 2025 SEED funding from the . Through this project, Kavanaugh will evaluate a two-phase program designed to support youth caregivers ages 10-18 who assist family members living with ALS. The phases complement each other, with the first phase consisting of skill-building modules led by healthcare professionals, and the second providing ongoing caregiver support.

is the only multidisciplinary skills and support program for children and youth who provide care for persons living with an illness or injury.