Wisconsin Stories

Samantha Krueger, known by friends and family as Sam, is a 21-year-old student at UW-Milwaukee studying History. She lost her old campus job when the pandemic started, but now she has a new job mentoring first-year students, and is very passionate about it. Callie Donavan: Did you apply for unemployment during the pandemic? I was […]

Maddie McGraw, 20, is a full-time time student at UW-Madison. Her new job at the school’s COVID-19 Isolation Housing Center is a stark contrast to the solitary landscaping position she held at the start of the pandemic. Though this time has brought many changes, she appreciates the break landscaping gave her and has found new […]

Mihail Yankov, 22, is in his last semester at UW-Madison. After the pandemic caused some complications with his school and career path, he found himself reflecting on what is important. With graduation a couple months away and a job secured, he is eager to take on the next chapter. Grant Sanger: What is your current […]

Ryan Rhode, 21, is employed and a full-time student at UW-Milwaukee. He is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering while working part time at the Aldi warehouse in Oak Creek. (Courtney Bondar) Could you tell me what it’s like to be employed during the pandemic? (Rhode) It’s very interesting because at work you have to […]

Jess Plotkin is a senior at UWM. She’s a classics major with minors in biology and chemistry, and she’s a pre-med student. She talks with Brianna Schubert about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted her mental health. (Brianna Schubert) How did the last year and a half go for you? (Jess Plotkin) It’s been very […]

Madeline Nimmo, a 24-year-old graduate student at UW-Milwaukee, finds that reaching a normal state of living is impossible, because everything has changed so drastically. She says “normal” is impossible, so adaptation is the only option. (Michael Null) How have you been holding up this school year so far? (Madeline Nimmo) School has been kind of […]

Imani Ortiz graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee spring 2019, during the wake of COVID-19. Ortiz tells how the pandemic has affected her life after college. Before quarantine, I was planning a lot of celebratory things, graduating, moving out of state, working in my field (journalism) right away. The separation from the public sent me […]

Graduate student Mary Beth Drabiszczak tells Grayson Sewell about navigating a new campus while it returns to in-person learning during a pandemic. (Grayson Sewell) With how crazy the past year, year-and-a-half, has been what would you say has had the biggest impact on you as a student? (Mary Beth Drabiszczak) I think, probably, having to […]

Junior Alyssa English is vice president of the National Society of Black Engineers at UWM and involved with Leaders Igniting Transformation, which advocates for an equitable society. She spoke with Darius Hayes. (Hayes) How do you feel the culture on campus is right now? (English) I feel the culture at UWM is pretty much the […]

Imanol Ruiz is film studies student at UW-Milwaukee. He talked with Cherita Booker about returning to campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Life back on campus has been different. I’m finally meeting more people and making real connections with them too. I enjoyed being alone and getting to have class from the comfort of my home, […]

For one freshman, the first few weeks of fall semester were marred by feelings of disappointment and anxiety. Zyhair Burkes came to UWM from Milwaukee Lutheran High School, where she says she encountered racism and insensitivity from staff and fellow students. In September, a video circulated of a UWM student using racial and homophobic slurs on […]