Eleven UWO alumni to be honored at 2025 Alumni Awards Celebration Homecoming weekend

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will celebrate the talents and successes of 11 alumni during Homecoming 2025 this October.

The UW-Oshkosh Alumni Association will present five top graduates with the Distinguished Alumni Award for their accomplishments in their professional fields. Additionally, five graduates will be honored with the Outstanding Young Alumni Award for their professional and civic accomplishments within 15 years of receiving their degrees, as well as their future promise.

One deserving UWO alumnus will be awarded the Alumni Outstanding Service Award for making exemplary contributions to support UWO through volunteer efforts, energy, leadership and/or philanthropic donations.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Laurie (Caelwaerts) Butz, of Suamico, who earned a UWO Master of Business Administration degree in 1997, is president and chief executive officer of Capital Credit Union, Green Bay. An advocate for community well-being, Butz has chaired the boards for numerous not for profit organizations. She was an adjunct instructor at UWO from 2006 to 2016. She earned the Beta Gamma Sigma honor from UWO, recognizing her outstanding achievements in business; and the Lifelong Achievement Athena Award from the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce for her impact as well as a state 2024 Titan 100 honor in 2024 and 2025.

Molly Yatso Butz, of Oshkosh, a 1999 exercise science and fitness management graduate, is executive director of Day by Day Shelter, Inc., a position she's held since June 2020. Under her guidance and successful execution of a $5.5M capital campaign, a new 50-bed, year-round shelter was constructed for the Oshkosh community. She previously held leadership roles with Aurora Health Care Foundation, Oshkosh Community YMCA and City of Oshkosh Senior Services. She is recipient of a number of community awards and has shared her knowledge and skills with UWO students as an adjunct instructor.

Scott Ceman, of Oshkosh, who graduated in 2002 with a degree in professional geography with a minor in criminal justice, went on to earn his law degree from Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota. Ceman is the owner of Ceman Law Office and works as a criminal defense attorney. Previously, he worked 14 years as a state prosecutor, including nine years as supervising attorney and head prosecutor of the violent crimes unit of the Winnebago County District Attorney's Office. Ceman and his wife, Bryn, met while attending UWO. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 2003.

Nancy (Lien) Korom, of Wauwatosa, graduated from UWO in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in nursing. She went on to earn a master's degree in nursing in 1993 from Marquette University. Korom serves as vice president and chief nursing officer at Children's Wisconsin, where she has been employed since graduating from UWO. In addition to her professional achievements, Korom has made significant contributions to her community including public health initiatives of juvenile diabetes research and lung cancer prevention; and she serves on the advisory board for the UWO College of Nursing.

Brad Spanbauer, of Oshkosh, graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology in 2011 and a master's degree in biology in 2014, and is employed as UWO sustainability director. Under his leadership, the university has saved hundreds of thousands in energy costs since July 2024. In 2022, UWO received a prestigious Green Ribbon award from the U.S. Department of Education for reduction of environmental impact and costs. UWO has longstanding Tree Campus USA status, has become a coal-free campus, is recognized nationally for sustainability tracking and assessment, is committed to climate neutrality and has moved sustainability to a program that connects facilities, academics and administration; and Spanbauer has put UWO on the forefront of sustainability in Wisconsin.

Outstanding Young Alumni Award

Susan Asselin, who resides in Washington, District of Columbia (DC), graduated in 2014, with bachelor's degrees in international studies and in political science. She was a member of the Model United Nations team through her college career and was 2^nd vice president for two years, managing fundraising and recruitment/retention efforts. She distinguished herself in the Peace Corps for three years in Senegal, where she served as a community economic development volunteer as part of the Master's International Program, demonstrating leadership and cross-cultural adaptability. In addition, she was active in her community, securing tuition and supplies for 50+ middle schools and organized computer literacy classes for middle school teachers and high school students.

Kimberly Krejcarek, of Green Bay, a 2010 graduate of the radio TV film program, has worked at WLUK-TV since graduation, beginning as a weekend news writer and video editor. She has since held numerous roles leading to her current position as special projects coordinator: events and longform, not only for WLUK but also their parent company Sinclair Broadcast Group. Previously, she developed community outreach programs as well as partnering and telling the stories of local non-profits and other entities. She is committed to giving back to her community and plays violin at more than a dozen assisted-living facilities. She remains committed to UWO's RTF program, speaking to current students and serving on panels discussing various career paths.

Anthony Miller Jr, of Neenah, earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies in 2013 and a master's degree in educational leadership in 2015. He is employed with the Oshkosh Area School District as director of community engagement and equity. Previously, he served as Scholars for Success manager at Fox Valley Technical College. Over the years, he has served in coaching roles at Hortonville, Appleton East, Neenah and Milwaukee schools. Miller was a student-athlete at UWO, where he played football during his first two years. He was a member of the Black Student Union and was student commencement speaker in 2013.

Alondra Sanchez, of Appleton, graduated from the College of Education and Human Services in December 2021, with a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. This followed her bachelor's degree in international studies with a minor in Spanish in 2016. Since then, she has opened Cultura Counseling, LLC, where her work focuses particularly on the Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and Spanish-speaking communities. Sanchez belongs to Latino Professionals Association of N.E.W. and is a member of several boards related to mental health, counseling and suicide prevention.

Saravanan "Sud" Shanmugabaskaran, of Greendale, is a 2010 graduate who majored in information systems. That same year, he co-founded Tuna Traffic, a marketing agency based in Caledonia specializing in custom strategies, web development, sales engagement, and AI-driven solutions. He works with a wide range of clients across industries and company sizes, from startups to Fortune 500s, helping them align technology and marketing to drive business growth. A dedicated community advocate, he has volunteered with nonprofit organizations throughout the Milwaukee area and co-founded Cooking for Kids, a nonprofit that supports Children's Wisconsin through culinary-driven fundraising events.

Alumni Outstanding Service Award

John Strous, of Oshkosh, earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 1972 and a master's degree in microbiology in 1982, and served as dedicated director of the UWO medical technology program for 27 years. In addition, he was a bench technologist at Mercy Medical Center (on a limited basis), a guest lecturer at UWO College of Nursing and was night supervisor of the clinical laboratory at Mercy Medical. Strous was nominated for working for nearly 30 years mentoring and developing medical laboratory scientists to become professionals and leaders within their field-with many UWO alumni serving as leaders at the state, regional and national levels in professional organizations. Strous is an avid volunteer supporting Christine Ann Center's Men Who Cook event, Oshkosh YMCA programs, served three terms on the UWO Alumni Board of Directors and supports a named scholarship at the UWO Foundation.

Celebrating UWO's exceptional alumni

The 2025 Alumni Awards Celebration will be held Friday, Oct. 17 at the Culver Family Welcome Center, with a reception at 5 p.m. followed by the dinner and program beginning at 6 p.m. Cost of the event is $40 per person. More information is available by contacting UWO Alumni Relations at (920) 424-3449, or alumni@uwosh.edu

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Alumni relations at UW Oshkosh