WAUKESHA – While she finished her associate’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha in 1983, Mary Winze keeps coming back home to the freshman-sophomore campus. On Friday, May 16, she’ll be there to receive an award. She will be recognized as the outstanding alum for 2003 at the annual Honors and Degree Ceremony to be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on campus at 1500 N. University Dr., Waukesha.
She finds the campus environment nurturing and stimulating and has been working as a volunteer to sustain that for nearly a decade.
Before starting college at UW-Waukesha, Winze, then a stay-at-home mom, had dabbled in arts and crafts, taking some continuing education classes. One evening at the New Berlin library, a counselor convinced her she should try an academic course, and in 1979 she enrolled in an English class with Phil Zweifel. “I enjoyed it and did well,” she recalls, and she was hooked.
At first, the 36-year-old Pulaski High School graduate registered for one evening course at a time. Later she moved to daytime and a fuller schedule. “There were lots of adults, and we had a ball. Some of them are still my friends,” she reminisces. “It was a very caring place.”
Her educational institution became her social milieu as well. She joined the New Horizons adult student organization and tutored other students in philosophy. “I liked all of my professors. They were approachable and very willing to help,” she remembers. Her children caught the education bug from her, too, her son earning a degree from UW-Milwaukee and her daughter from Lawrence University and a master’s from Indiana University. “We did our homework together. They were encouraged to go on by watching me.”
In her modest beginning, Winze had no thought of earning a degree. Yet, in 1983, she left for UW-Milwaukee, associate’s degree in hand, and went on for a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing, which she completed in 1986.
Still, UW-Waukesha’s magnetism drew her back. She attended plays, came for foreign films, played table tennis. Then, in 1994, the Friends & Alumni Association invited her to join. Except that first year on the board, she has held office every year since. She was secretary for two years, vice-president – a position she currently holds – for two, and president for five.
“My vision is to be able to give more scholarships to more students.” Toward that end, she bakes cookies to sell at events, writes thank-you notes, and reads scholarship applications as her committee assignment. She also earned a prize for making the most calls by a non-student in the school’s “Keep in Touch” phonathon to alumni.
Surprised and feeling especially honored, she has been named this year’s outstanding alumna by the group. Since 1983, the award has been given each year to an alum who finished his or her UW-Waukesha education at least 10 years ago, contributed as a student to the campus, and has achieved notable accomplishments in academics, career or service.
Her message to students is “It is good to volunteer, to give back. You get more than you put in.” To that she adds, “For adult students, remember it’s never too late” to get started on your college education.
Mary Winze lives in Wauwatosa and has worked at J. M. Grimstad, Inc., West Allis, since 1989, beginning in the purchasing area for three years and now doing inside sales of industrial parts and components. |
