“Tonight, we come together not just for to share a great meal and raise money for a really great cause, but also to celebrate our really remarkable achievements of some extraordinary individuals that is our alumni,” said UWS Chancellor Renee Watcher.
Five UWS alumni and faculty members were honored by the University of Wisconsin-Superior Alumni & Friends Foundation for academic accomplishments and contributions to UWS at the Superior Soiree on Saturday, Oct. 12.
This year, four UWS alumni and one current faculty member from UWS were recognized in the Yellowjacket Union Great Room, filled with upwards of 100 guests. Each alum present thanked their start at UW-Superior for the success that followed their life.
“It’s an huge honor,” said Alumna Dr. Carolyn Anderson, recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Dr. Anderson got her B.S. in chemistry from UWS in 1985 and continued her education at Florida State University, where she earned her Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry.
Dr. Anderson accepting the Distinguished Alumni Award. | Photo by Drew Kerner (The Promethean)
“As a student I got the research bug,” said Dr. Anderson. “I started as a glassware dishwasher and started doing research after about 6 months. I love answering scientific questions and having the focus of that research being on the environment.”
For more than 30 years, Dr. Anderson has laid the groundwork for the growth of radiometal-based agents for diagnostic imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy for cancer in the theranostics field.
The Distinguished Alumni Award is awarded to an alum whose achievements serve as an inspiration to current and prospective students. Dr. Anderson originally grew up in Superior and has received numerous honors for her other successes. Most recently being awarded the Georg Charles de Hevesy Nuclear Pioneer Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging in June of 2024. “It’s just wonderful to be back here,” said Dr. Anderson. “I am just honored and thankful.”
During her speech, Dr. Balcer recalled memories of working alongside UWS students on Lake Superior during tough winter weather. Like one time when her research vessel started to sink during frigid temperatures. | Photo by Drew Kerner (The Promethean)
The James Rainaldo Outstanding Mentor Award is given to a retired or current UWS faculty member who has significantly impacted students. This year’s award was given to Dr. Mary Balcer, who graduated from UWS in 1977, earning a B.S. in biology and chemistry.
“I’m honored really, I’ve never expected something like this happening,” said Dr. Balcer. Balcer said that it was her time as a student working alongside the Center of Lake Superior Environmental Studies (now Lake Superior Research Institute) that gave her the clear path to what she wanted to do with her life. “I got to have a lot of different experiences going out on different research projects,” said Dr. Balcer. After receiving her Ph.D. in zoology, Dr. Balcer returned to UWS as the director of the Lake Superior Field Station on Wisconsin Point.
“I think that’s one of the things that Superior offers to students is the chance to get to know people as humans and not just their instructors,” said Dr. Balcer. Dr. Balcer served as a professor and mentor to students for 33 years before retiring in 2016.
“I’ve never been awarded something like this,” said Dr. Jennifer Gravok, recipient of the Recent Alumni Achievement Award. The Recent Alumni Achievement Award is gifted to alums who graduated within the last decade. Dr. Gravok graduated from UWS in 2015 with a B.S. in biology and minored in psychology and chemistry.
Dr. Gravrok accepting the Recent Alumni Award. | Photo by Drew Kerner (The Promethean)
Utilizing the National Student Exchange program, Dr. Gravok studied at the University of Maine-Farmington and had a summer internship at Michigan State University, where she gained an appreciation of traveling and animal behavior.
Soon after UWS, Dr. Gravok moved to Australia for four years, where she earned her Ph.D. in anthrozoology. There, she studied human-dog interactions and furthered her understanding of assistance dogs. In 2023, Dr. Gravok published her first book, “Understanding Assistance Dogs: Is an Assistance Dog the Right Tool for You?”
“It’s good to be home,” said Dr. Gravok. “I loved all the experiences that I gained here which allowed me to be curious.”
The Edward & Betty Kossak Service Award is gifted to individuals who have made significant contributions in leadership, time, and support to further the goals of UW-Superior. This year’s recipient was John McNeil, who graduated from UWS in 1967 with a degree in business.
John McNeil received the Edward & Betty Kossak Service Award. | Photo by Drew Kerner (The Promethean)
“It’s a real honor,” said McNeil. “I worked for about 35 years and retired for about 20 years. After I retired is when I became a part of the Alumni Board.”
McNeil has completed three terms on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and now is an honorary member of the Alumni & Friends Foundation Board of Directors. Both McNeil and his wife, Anna, have been long-time financial supporters of UW-Superior.
“The wife and I were both graduates of UWS,” said McNeil. “We have always been able to help out and give back quite a bit when we can.”
The Honorary Alumni Award was presented to UWS Recreation Program Director of Campus Recreation Krisi (KP) Patterson. KP never attended UWS as a student but has been working at UWS for nearly 20 years.
Krisi (KP) Patterson was the recipient of the Honorary Alumni Award. Patterson graduated from UW-Stout but says that she plans to retire from UWS because of the connections she made for students. | Photo by Drew Kerner (The Promethean)
“It’s a little surreal,” said Patterson. “I love working with students, knowing that we have an impact on them outside of the classroom. But I’m excited to retire from here and there’s opportunity for me here to really get to know our students.”
Before UWS, KP worked for 15 years at UW-Stout in their recreation program. The Honorary Alumni Award is presented every year to staff or faculty who aren’t graduates of UWS and who have dedicated their time to uplifting current and prospective students.
The Superior Soiree is one of the campus’s biggest fundraising opportunities for scholarships reserved for current students. Over $25,000 was raised at this year’s event.
